


The Walrider Thrill

by Selwyn111



Category: Outlast (Video Games)
Genre: Blood and Gore, Fluff and Angst, Other, Slow Burn, tagging as I go along
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2018-12-21 13:55:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11945664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selwyn111/pseuds/Selwyn111
Summary: Miles finds himself in some new strange company. Something that remained from the Murkoff company, something that should be eliminated or... something that has potential. Each being has to find a means to its own end.





	1. Chapter 1

He had felt pain before, out of the pain within twenty four hours. This had to be the worst. Miles remembers this, there was the fall and spasms of pain there was no coherent thoughts, except for one. Escape. After everything he couldn't give up at this point in his story. 

A false glimmer of hope when he heard voices coming from up the corridor, he shuffled along. Using the last bit of his remaining strength, his second wind come and gone. His legs give out beneath him and his head hits the floor, determined he stands again and the door opens. Wernicke speaks and then the other men open fire. 

The world slows down as the first bullet scrapes his bottom rib. The others rip through him in an instant his weight is pulling him forwards but the bullets backwards inertia keep him upright. 

They stop firing and his world goes dark he barely feels his head hit the floor Miles blacks out. He was supposedly a dead man as anyone knew. There is a moment when anger becomes stronger than pain. There was a moment of survival there was fury that was not his. Not entirely. 

In the back of his mind he hears whispers to keep going, mixed with screams of agony. He continues to try and breath out of spite, he will refuse death no matter what, it would have to try harder to take him. Murkoff will pay for what they did to him, and justice will be served for all the patients here. 

An unknown strength comes to him but he can't coherently think. But something else can, something else can give hope. 

\----------------------------------------

Billy Hope had not felt pain anything like that in a while, his body numbed and drugged for so long it destroyed his nerves. He left that body to wreak havoc on those who brought the pain. 

There was quiet blood mixed on the floor in the seconds it took him to rip apart the soldiers.

"Billy." The voice is mechanical. The walrider sees Wernicke sitting in his chair, this father figure he now sees through the fog. Wernicke caused all of this his ideas, his pain, his destruction. 

"I just-" Wernicke tries to talk to him. The walrider places his arm through the ancient man's chest. Wernicke releases a small gurgle of blood he breathes his last. The flatline of the machine beside him and air forcing itself through lungs, Billy then hears the choking noises behind him. 

He turns around to see the host on the ground. Broken and bruised clinging onto life out of spite. That's the reason they bonded. They will make it when everyone else succumbs to the world they pull through. 

He hears the hosts breath start to become highly irregular, Billy grabs the hosts head in his hand no reaction, all effort is being out to staying alive. 

_Excellent_ he thinks to himself before he melds his form to Miles again. The host can not resist his power to help him with their body, and tired psyche, he begins to start mending the damage. 

There is nothing he can do at the moment about the previous injuries, but he gets to work on the bullets and what he inflicted to the host Miles. 

The host chokes on blood while having the last of the bullets extracted. Most went straight through but more than a few were caught among broken shards of bones. The lung tissue was easy to fix after that, he would not have any fluids left in his lungs, and would not perish to any air embolism. Billy Hope returns to the body and starts to close the superficial surface wounds, there is no resistance from the host. 

Billy taking control forces the body stand, swaying slightly trying to find the centre of gravity. Cursing the fact he was out of practice with a full corporal body. He hears a small crash and looks down the postmortem grip on the camera fades and the recording device fell. Billy remembers that the host was holding onto this for the times that they met. He suspected that he was holding onto this most of the time. Billy pries open the broken camera and grabs the memory disks and puts them into the jacket pocket, it would be interesting to see what the host had endured. 

\----------------------------------------

Miles wants to know what is happening to him, the blurry world is subdued by pain. He feels his body moving and his head drops; parts of the nano swarm bleed through his coat and pants. Dark blood and deep scratches cover him from this night of hell, but he could look and call himself alive.

His eyes come into focus and he sees his body dragging through the whitened corridors. It moves towards the drum barrels and moves his hand the barrels scatter their contents spilling onto the floor. His view fades in and out, his next sight was inside one of the rooms he feels anger. He sees the whiteboard with that damn algorithm. 

\----------------------------------------

The anger swells within him his eyes focus on the contrasting colours of white and black on the board, he feels power within himself. Billy hope sees all the torment that he went through, all of it was made into a single board, a small algorithm. 

Billy raises the hosts arm, his arm and wipes away the numbers. He continues to wipe away, and it's all gone but he continues. Their nails start to scratch across the board, he goes over and grabs the X-ray machine and throws it into the board. Billy goes over to the counter and takes anything he can find and throwing it against where the board was. 

He ends after a few minutes, the room destroyed unidentified materials cover the floor, strewn papers falling from various angles. The body is tired, there is so much more he wanted to do. So much more he wanted to destroy, but he heard voices. All in shock when when they saw the other corpses, and the broken door frame. 

Billy sees a form rushby the door, calling for the others to come and check on the bodies to see if any were alive. He looks the host over and sees if he leaves it it will die. He still needs this flesh anchor, he takes control of the mouth. 

"Leave now. Or share a similar fate," he winces hearing the different voice. Overanuncation, the pitch was a bit too high, ragged breath, he shakes his head and continues. "you are all testing my patience, do someth-"

A bullet rings out missing him but landing in the tank beside him. The call for aid was a code, they were on the other side ready to destroy him, or at least try. 

\----------------------------------------

"Fine!" Miles voice rings out, a small sound beside the ringing in his ears. Miles remembers that gunfire was far too loud. He sees the destroyed room and focuses on the door, the ringing dies down and he can hear the gentle breathing and the eight anxious heartbeats surrounding the door. 

Looking around, some broken glass shards, and the thin walls, they cross the room avoiding the shards trying to keep as quiet as possible. He places his ear against the wall, they hadn't moved. Now it was his turn to give the surprise. 

His hand goes through the wall, grabbing one of the soldiers necks he squeezes until feels a satisfying crunch. A shout of surprise can be heard coming from their comrades. He braces his hand against the door and pulls the body through, the wall breaks and the others have finished reeling in surprise, they ready their weapons. 

Miles ignores them and goes for the weapon, he readies the semi-automatic weapon and checks to see that the safety was off. The body is being pulled up with it, it's simple dead weight, feels like nothing. He has the control, he pulls the trigger. Billy can feel that this was the guard to make the first shot at him. 

All the pain they caused Miles, this night, all of the shit that Murkoff has pulled, they fall. Miles drops the gun and the body when the clip ended, bringing the palms of his hand to his pounding head. Miles feels a mother of all migraines, he stumbles his weight being held up by the wall. 

\----------------------------------------

Billy tries to take control, he feels helpless as the other takes control. It wasn't supposed to be like this! They were supposed to be weaker, the pitiful human element that Murkoff made him shed so many years ago. Moving across the room he tries to do anything but notices that the body won't be able to do anything by himself. Billy focuses his energy into the arm and feels the crunch of the neck, he helps pick up the body and sees the others fall so simply. 

The host has control the anger passes, its simpler Billy grabs control. Moving through the space difficulty it's a fight for control, this is not what it was supposed to be, sinking to the ground he puts his hand on one of the soldiers a bloodied hand he starts to write on the wall. His focus is blurring he can see out of one eye. 

"What the fuck." he whispers. No that was the other. 

Miles sees his handwriting in the blood like father Martin. 

T-O-G-E-T, the word being written plainly across on the wall. Miles ran out of blood at the second T re-dipping his hand into the body of the soldier, and finishes spelling “together”. 

"Together?" Miles knows he shouldn't be alive. He can assume he could have been host for the morphogenic engine. Has that been keeping him alive? Billy Hope, the deranged idiot who he tried to kill, was inside him keeping him alive, and was Miles could only question if he doing the same for him? 

The hand does not move, it's waiting for a response. Miles can see out of one eye and can control the head and neck, he sees the bodies and knows that it was him who killed this time. 

"we need each other." Miles whispers.

It's what Billy had wanted to hear, he starts to spell out again. "G-I-V-E C-O-N-T-R"

"Hand over control to you!" Miles says pushing back from the wall. "Why the hell should I let you take control? Last time that happened this whole mess started." He stands making the arm useless. "No I can get out of this by myself." 

Billy moves the arm around madly trying to get some leverage with Miles. He stops swinging his arm and penitently gives Miles the middle finger. 

_"Can you? All by yourself, I want to see it."_ Billy growls out in a taunting manner. 

Miles feels a pull coming from inside. His chest tightens and he starts to see a black smokey nanomite cloud leaking from him. He tries to claw futilely at the pouring smoke, then tries to reason with the murderer. 

"No no no! Fine we can work together. You need me and I need you. Personally I don't want to wait for another patrol of Murkoff guards to come around and try to shoot us. But, when we work together no unnecessary killings." Miles says, hating the fact that his undertone sounded like he was pleading, it was something that Billy could use.

Billy relinquishes control over the other eye and forms his hand into a thumbs up. Miles relinquishes control to Billy, all Miles can do is see and watch moment by moment, but he is relieved to be able to relax for the meantime but he still tries to remain vigilant. 

Billy relishes in control for a moment. There is nothing prohibited to him, he can move for the first time in years. Being held he was not allowed to leave often and then he was restrained to a full extent. It is still bittersweet, it is a body just not his own, it could never be his own for what he needs to do. Miles was in decent shape and still able to mostly stand after the morphogenic engine, Billy could heal the few parts that were thoroughly damaged. 

He starts to move towards the elevator casually walking and stepping over the bodies of the Murkoff security branch, their hidden militia. He makes it over the barrels and familiarizes himself with the extent of the body. He pushes against the lattice door and stands inside the elevator. 

He hears Miles in the back of his mind. 

"Need a _key_." they say together.

Billy looks down at his hands looking at the bone protruding from the ring finger on the left hand and a similar situation on on the right hand's index finger. He sees its usefulness, black smoke forms around the stubs and corperalizes he jams it into the lock. He moves it around picking at the tumblers, after a moment the buttons light up on the elevator console. 

"Show off." Miles mutters. 

Billy smirks and presses the lobby button. He waits as the elevator starts to ascend, standing and admiring how different the hands can look with his simple changes. Billy hears it first, a voice he had heard before talking a bit too smoothly. Trying with disbelief to contain his anger. 

"Mr. Park you made it." Jeremy Blair says.

 _"I know that voice."_ Billy growls out, _"Mr.Blair, you kept me here, you killed me. Time to repay the favour.”_ the walrider adds as an afterthought, _”This will hurt."_

Billy leaves the body as the elevator continues up on its slow ascent. 

Miles collapses falling backwards in the elevator. Cursing and sputtering profanities at Billy. He curls into the fetal position clutching at his chest and feeling what healing Billy had done for home beforehand start to dissolve. Fading into a black smoke eating away at itself, slowly, painfully, as if realizing that it was wrong to mesh with Miles. 

Blood starts to soak onto the floor of the elevator, oozing out of Miles. He tries to position himself against the corner so he can bring his knees closer to his chest. His arm keeps slipping upon the fresh blood the pain of everything threatening to overwhelm him. He focuses on keeping his vision straight, he had tried to make some differences, he wanted to help expose Murkoff. This was not worth the price, his life, this living death. 

He feels the shuddering of the elevator as it comes to a stop on the main lobby. He sees a man in a uniform start to limp away as best he can. 

"Help, please." his voice is barely a whisper. 

No breath in his lungs, he starts to cough up blood starts to trickle out of the side of his mouth. He continues his coughing fit, a new level of agony tears through him. Miles knows he has to get back to Billy. 

He does not want to die. 

Not in a fucking elevator when he can see the sun in the morning. 

He does not want to die. 

He starts to pull himself towards the morning sun. Seeing the bodies have no more of an effect on him, macabre decorations to this nightmare. He can't think that he has become immune to seeing the death. It was even before the night finished, he started to see what father Martin said. The signs of the walrider, carving his blessing into the world. 

He makes it to the reception desk and sees that some fresh blood has splattered across the bodies and papers. Miles vision blurs and darkens for a second. 

"Made it pretty far for a dying man." a voice speaks hoarsely. 

Miles barely sees the head of the dead security officer move over at first it takes a moment for him to focus. The officers eyes covered in a film and dried blood caked the side of the officer's face, the mouth moves rhythmically to Miles laboured breaths. Mimicking his breaths, mimicking his life. 

_"You are so clo-"_ the eyes pull focus he stopped for a sharp intake of breath. 

Miles sees a shadow pass over the body of the man. The officer convulses and a splatter of blood cover the area anew. The walrider appears before Miles hovering above the remains of the guard waiting for him to submit. 

"We agreed on you having control." Miles whispers "Please don't let me die. I want to destroy Murkoff for what they did to me, I know you feel the same way." 

He tries to continue but has another coughing fit. Most of the healing was undone from the walrider leaving. Placebo heals that has him dependent on the sincerity of a murderer. Miles closes his eyes expecting to be ripped apart at any moment. He feels the wounds closing instead, he lets out a sigh of relief. 

It's too much for Miles at this point he knows that he has no choice. He too be subjugated to Billy, he needs Billy to survive, and to get his revenge. Billy has the same hatred for Murkoff, they can destroy the disgusting corporation. With the hatred in his mind he drifts off unable to even keep his mind going. 

He submits fully. 

Billy enjoys the pure power he can now show over the body. He stands up and starts to lean against the desk letting out a gasp for breath the body was in tremendous pain. He pauses at the desk breaking off part of the countertop, willing the pain to disappear to no avail. 

It felt good though, he felt something. He stilled every part of the body for a moment and then continues towards the sun. He feels the sun cross over his body, warmth and a slight southern breeze picking up some of the last fall leaves. 

He still holds onto his abdomen trying to keep some pressure on it. He starts to walk right past the Murkoff security cars and tanks. A company that was supposed to be helping people should never have been allowed to amass an army force like that. He spots a red jeep in the distance. The man that Jeremy Blair had stabbed, someone he had seen, someone who had seen the truth. 

His anger flares mixing shadow with the breeze he wants to make sure that no one escapes. He stops for a split second he senses that he can't leave the body, it would kill the host. Billy makes himself look as terrifying as possible changing the breeze around him and blocking out the light that graced his skin. Billy knows that this is the most that he can do, without killing Miles. 

Billy stops he had used that name. Miles. Miles Upshur. A reporter who came here to discover the truth and to take down Murkoff for the greater good. 

He sees the Jeep start to drive away. He could not get to him, but someone who was able to coherently drive, was decent and not too corrupt. 

Billy waits a second to make the storm die down. The swirls of darkness depart and the warmth of the sun returns, he basks in its light. The moment passes he knows what has to be done, he has to remove Murkoff. There is no time to enjoy the little things, not while they are still around. 

He goes and starts to make his way down the path. He sees the sign for mount massive. Gold leafed letters on clean polished stone, out of place with the military tire tracks dragging through the ground. 

He sees the difference of all the fall leaves, the trees becoming barren. He continues his walk, he has no plan. It is good to just feel the freedom and walk with his own life.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The body does have to rest. It is not something that can be disputed, but choices made for the body can be.

He did not realize how remote the asylum really was. The sun had made to its zenith, nothing he can feel the body mostly healed but a dull pain and weakness. 

He sees the trees and the clear sky looking back over his shoulder, no longer able to see the smoke rising from Mount Massive

Miles wakes up, from within he starts to ask questions. 

_"Where are we? Where are we going? What is happening? Why are we so tired? Did you not fucking sleep?!"_

Billy can feel his head pounding again. He starts to answer sharply. 

"I don't know. Somewhere safe. I have a headache. I don't know. And surprise surprise, I did not." he stops, "Do you know anything that is near here, you passed by here recently?" 

_"What roads did you take? And I swear if-"_

"It was freedom. I did not think we needed any road signs. What do you want?" Billy cuts him off not in the mood to argue with Miles.

_"I wanted to be stuck with someone competent!"_

"I could just shut you out. You know that Miles, right?" Billy truly being fed up stops walking, placing his hands on his hips. Acting out to garner any response and to give a reminder of who is in control. 

_"You couldn’t do that, we need to stick together. My body my rules, get some fucking sleep. We are not in a pod filled with fucked up nightmares, we are lost in a Colorado forest."_

Billy mocks Miles, "So the same thing." 

_"Not what I meant. How long were you going? Or rather how long was I out for?"_

"It was just becoming morning, when the sun was rising I just made it outside." 

There is a pause, Billy can sense that Miles is annoyed thoroughly. Billy throws his head back, unsure of what to do, and just wanting to have this headache stop. 

_"It's around noon, you would say that right?"_

"Yes,"

_"So then it has been over twenty four hours that the body has been going. Actually nearing on thirty at this point. All the adrenaline has been gone for hours, no wonder we have a headache. My body needs sleep, food, and just to rest. Let it do that so it does not give out on you."_ Miles knows he is in a disadvantage but knows his body and the basic bodily care required. Even if he didn't follow it all the time he had good intentions to. 

"Fine, where do I put this to sleep?"

_"Find a tree that looks comfy to you. The fallen leaves will be a nice softish place to rest."_

Billy walks the body over to a tree a bit off the roadside and places his back to the road. Hoping that the blood on the coat will at this point blend in with the autumn leaves on the ground. It doesn't take long for Billy to find a nice surprisingly peaceful slumber. 

\----------------------------------------

Miles is surprised when the world goes to a blank space, white void surrounds him. Peering around trying to find where there was some distinction between the floor and sky, Miles couldn't find a horizon. 

Miles turns around looks at the figure behind him, not encased in shadows or in a liquid filled sphere. A young man healthy looking standing before him with a shaved head, and wearing an asylum outfit with the number 0027 stitched on it. 

"Miles." Miles mumbles out, sticking out his hand after a moment.

"Hello, Miles." the man gingerly accepts the handshake.

They shake hands for a bit too long, awkwardly breaking off. They stand like that for a few minutes, Billy breaks the silence. 

"This is blank," he looks around while saying it.

"What?" 

"It's blank no dreams, nothing. It's a nice change." Billy smiles staring into the blank world, also trying to see a horizon. 

"Well I never really cared to remember my dreams beforehand all of what Werneke said seemed like Nazi mysticism to me." Miles says, unsure of this whole ordeal and hoping that this would not become a regular occurrence. He kinda liked not remembering his dreams. 

"I think it was both. It was both." the man watches his hand move and continues speaking. "The state of lucid dreaming kept us together. Neither of us had much control of the entity that we were. The walrider- we were made in the late forties, a creation of nano-" the man stops when he looks at Miles moving closer to him

"I heard this, from Wernicke. Made of nano mites in his home country and results could not be reproduced. Father Martin calling you a god Billy, getting a lot done to try and have him be on the same level of un-death that you thrive on." 

"Yes but what I am saying is, is that I am something, I am new to this world. I feel different. You made me feel different." 

"Yeah you made me feel real different too Billy.” Miles can't help the bitter sarcastic tone, “You kinda had bullets ripped through me, and crammed you nano crap all over my body. Throwing me down for a nice fall, yes you got me out of the hands of that big guy,” Miles snaps his fingers pretending not to know the name, “uhh Chris. But you did keep me alive, is that what you want? A thank you. For helping you feel something? Well I really just wanted a nice scoop on some hurt patients, that could get my name known to my manager so I could do more and have a regular publication rate. Not random articles and having people to contact me for a scoop." 

"You could control me. It was not entirely my will to return to you. You have some control, I have some control. I don't want to be locked away being used for someone else's means, I felt that enough with Billy." the man gestures with his hands in every direction. 

"You _are_ Billy." Miles says placing his hands together to accentuate his point.

"N- yes. No, I am my own. Billy brought me to life, and gave me room to grow in his lucid dreams. He taught me what he was taught and showed me what he wanted me to see. I unknowingly adopted his personality, we were together for years, he granted me what I thought was freedom. Just another form of control." 

"What's with all this happy go feely shit?" Miles warily asks, not wanting to fall into a trap.

"I want to show you that I am not just the mislead monster that you think that I am. I can be my own not just the anger of Billy Hope that was still with me." 

"But can you change? You are programmed from the mind of lunatics! You just killed hundreds of people!" 

The voice drops in pitch and the man fades going down to a base skeleton then twisting their form to create the walrider. The face of it looks down and seems like it is noticing what it looks like for the first time. 

_"That was not my intention, that was Billys'. He wanted to hurt all of them for what they did to him. To his mother, to so many of them. He wanted to be free and I was his escape."_

Miles takes an involuntary step back seeing the walrider before him. Closer to seven feet than six feet. He steels himself with a breath, looking at the swarm. Understanding all the names that were attached to it; swarm, nano cloud, the thing in the dark, and God. 

He was standing with something that wanted to see so many things. Possessing inhuman abilities, flight, super strength, can be on the plane of the metaphysical, and possession. That was the most terrifying aspect of it, going into someone's mind. Losing control having to fight for something that has no understanding of how humans work. 

"Could you change back?" Miles asks taking on a humble tone, if still in distress.

_"This is what I am."_ the voice sounds from everywhere. 

"You- ugh how to explain this so you get it? You are a huge amount of miniature robots that gained sentience through an insane man. You should not be something that should have caused so much damage." Miles snaps.

The walriders voice quiets down, _"I want to be known. I want to be something that does not reside within blacked out documents. My programming has been here since the late forties and I first had taste of a mind with Billy and a few others who made it close."_

"Others? Others! You said you adopted part of the personality of Billy who else made it close." Miles says studying the walrider, since he saw no other hostile movements. 

He switches between forms changing to four different people. Billy Hope, Eddie Gluskin, Jeremy Blair, and father Martin. Before everything went down, looking sane and passive. 

"Don't know the middle two, and I don't think I want to know." Miles mutters to himself, waving his hands in front of him.

_"Martin always wanted to return to normal. He saw what we could do together, and he started to worship me."_ the walrider says as he reverts to his previous form.

Miles lets out a breath he didn't know what reaction to expect but he figured he would have to tell him. He didn't want it to be at a crucial time that could compromise themselves, "Do you know what he did?"

_"Martin?"_

"He killed himself trying to spread your gospel. He asked me to record it, with the others nearby I did not have a choice." Miles admitted looking down.

_"He, died?"_ the walrider says with empathy flooding his voice. 

"He one upped Jesus in shitty ways to die." Miles has a small deprecating chuckle, "He died. He had others set him on a cross and then set it ablaze. Everyone else in the room was sharing in the feeling of cult ecstasy, they were finding their truth. He had them believing in you, you were going to save them. Bring them to rapture, or eternal life, or something." 

_"I can't do that. I can barely take care of this body. It has no energy and is in pain, and I don't understand it's needs at all."_

"I can tell. Wait did you not use the bathroom?" Miles breaks the calm demeanor.

The walrider tilts its head to the side. A beat passes between the two before Miles speaks again rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“We will be able to teach each other a few things. I can help you discover what you need to know about a body. And you... Well you can teach me something right?" 

_"I can show you many things. We can work positively together, I can show you power. That's what you want. To destroy and have your vengeance, right?"_

"I want to survive." Miles motions outwards with his hands for emphasis. 

_"No you want more. It is fine to say that. Everyone wants more, I can feel it about you. You took the job to feel alive to be in others lives to do more than exist. It is fine to say that."_

"You want me to say that I wanted to do more than just survive?” Miles challanges, “You want me to say that I want to see Murkoff destroyed for what they did? You, you want me to be the villain. You want me to swear a vengeance, with all burning hatred." 

_"No. I know that to simply exist is painful. But to have purpose even if it is immediate can be fulfilling in its own right."_

"You want to be without blame. The only way that someone can even work with you is to nearly die. Last time I checked people don't often sign up for that willingly, so of course someone will have their own vendetta." Miles pauses for a moment stopping the walrider with a glare when it tries to speak over him, "How easily you are to take control of a body. You shut me out as if you were just saying stop. I fought for any amount of control, you weren't used to that so you resorted to using pain and threats to get what you wanted. Did you kill Billy, he didn't look responsive to anything. How long did it take you to shut him away in his mind? Trapped within his own fantasies of being better. I saw his case files and you what he did not seem like the insane to go and kill an entire building full of people. You do seem like it. Billy started to act out after he started this fucked up therapy and it was after Wernicke thought he had made some progress. You killed him. You killed all those people. Wernicke made you didn't he? The forties? That places you around seventy, and there are probably others that you destroyed, lead tumors, all of that crap was you." 

_"What am I supposed to do?"_ the walrider disclosed, _"I am a creature without purpose. Trapped by the will of others, I want to be my own but I can not exist without a host. Without someone like you, someone suitable, that I can manipulate with ease. Your profession makes you see through that. It's what brought you here in the first place."_

"You are ignoring my question." Miles complained. 

_"Statement, and yes."_ the walrider turns the empty world around, with a wave of its hand.

"What the hell was that?" Miles throws his hands out to keep his balance, "Wait this is the dreamscape. Lucid dreams were the only way to have access to you. This is ours together so if you can..." 

Miles turns the blank space and the white turn into the forest trees appearing the leaves on the ground. Where they were the small creek in the distance but silent, feeling hollow. 

_"Great you figured out how to make a change here."_ the walrider mocks starting to float heading to the top of the trees. 

"What happened the the touchy feely crap? You said that you were going to show me power. And I agreed to show you what a body needs. We are stuck together and unless you want what happened in the basement to become our life we got to work together." 

Miles realizes that it is oddly quiet. The little things he is missing, birds, breeze, the little bits of life that should be there. The sounds start to filter in one after the other. 

_"Great, you did it. You figured out how to dream, gold star."_

"You can't change, it can... You can be spoken to here but you have no power. Come down here." Miles wears an uneasy smile while trying out his idea.

the walrider tilts his head down looking at Miles. 

"Fine asshole." Miles stares up at the walrider in the trees. 

He attempts to brings himself up to the tops of the trees to no avail. He then tries a different approach, willing the trees to catch it. The tree branches move quickly wrapping around any solid part of the walrider swinging through the smoke and start dragging it down towards the ground. 

As the last second the walrider breaks free from the living prison and appears threatening towards Miles. It's arms at it side waiting for a second, looking for the moment to kill. 

"We got to work together. You can try to leave me and we both die, or we can work together. Yeah you showed me something, I want to do more than survive. I want to live, to be truly alive and a living death as your puppet does not count." Miles walks up to the walrider and sticks his hand out. "Together we are Miles whatever the hell you want for a last name." 

_"And what happens when we disagree? You veto all choices?"_ the walriders stance goes a bit more passive. 

"No I listen to what you have to say and if we are threatened then you can have most priority for choices. Dealing with other aspects. Mundane aspects may I handle those. No one is in supreme control." 

The walrider grabs Miles' hand and shakes it. _"Glad we could agree, it's almost time to wake up."_

The world starts to fade from around them, all turning to black in the empty void. Holding the handshake hoping that the other means the truce.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you have a nice day!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to find civilization once again Miles.

Miles opens his eyes. The sun is rising in its golden hour shining right into his eyes. 

"Shit." he croaks looking away and rubs his palms into his eyes trying to remove the sunspots. He stands up and makes his way back to the path, "Can't you see where we are?" Miles asks the walrider. 

_"Not without dooming us both."_ the walrider responds. 

Miles lets out a sigh. He looks at the tree and rubs his palms together. Starting to climb his way up the tree, ignoring the dull numbness in his hands. 

_"Do you think it is really safe to be doing this?"_ the walrider asks.

"Of course, I have been climbing things all of my life." Miles says, and thinks now is not the time to be worrying about how to take care of my body.

 _"I heard that. I am literally inside of your head."_ the walrider says and after a pause _"And I will not fuck off."_

Miles makes it to the top of the tree and looks around. The last bit of leaves don't really obscure the road leading out of this place, looking he spots some of the nearest town. The town is placed high up on the mountain close. It looks like it is a few hours away, he gives a small chuckle at their luck and that quickly turns to fear as he hears a crack. 

_"F_ u _c_ k." they both say simultaneously. 

Miles tries to wrap his arms around the tree but only gets one arm around before the branch supporting him breaks away. A wave of panic fills Miles and the walrider takes control. 

The world blacks out for Miles. He knew he shut his eyes for a moment but he should have hit the ground by now. He opens his eyes and notices that he is making a slow descent towards the ground, still held in a falling position. Miles windmills his arms in an attempts to righten himself. 

_"Stop moving, you are just making this more difficult than it needs to be."_ the walriders voice echoes through Miles' head.

"I'm not dead?" 

_"The fall would not have killed you, it would have hurt yes but not have killed you."_

Miles looks at the ground around four feet below him and then finishes the drop. His arms flail for a second and lands chest first on the ground. He rolls over to his back and lets out a drawn out groan. 

"You know I hate you. Right?" Miles angrily whispers to himself as he starts to stand up. 

_"I heal you quickly so what's the problem?"_

"It still hurts." Miles wipes off his chest of leaves and small sticks. 

_"Keep moving."_

Miles continues back to the slow inclining path. Making his way towards the town. Continuing in silence along the path walking until the middle of the day. The small town appears quiet from where he stands, although it is the main source of supplies for the asylum. 

_"They have no idea what happened, do they?"_ the walrider breaks the silence.

"No and I don't want to be the one to tell them that there was one of America's largest slaughters just a day's walk away."

_"I think we should wait to go and just grab the supplies that you will need then leave. Not bothering the people who live here. If we draw attention to ourselves do you think that Murkoff will come-"_

"No I am starving. I want something clean to drink. And somewhere nice to sleep." Miles stops 

_"Have you seen yourself, take a look at your jacket alone."_

Miles removes his jacket and sees the point the walrider was making. His jacket torn to shreds from bullets and stretched out across the back as well. Different shades of browns and reds cover it different types of blood and other viscera. Miles looks down the shirt was once white now a sickly pink and brown washed together from his time in the sewers. His pants don't convey a better story, the bottoms fraying, and missing a pocket. 

"Where, oh no. Oh fuck. Where is the camera?" Miles asks, while he is frantically checking his pants pockets, "Did I not take it? No, no no no." 

_"Check you coat, the camera was broken and you were clutching it with all your strength. I grabbed the memory card and placed it in your coat pocket."_

Miles quickly goes through his jacket and finds part of the camera with the two memory cards intact. Miles puts his hand over his heart and lets out a sigh of relief. 

_"How is that going to help you get into town?"_

"Okay okay, I just needed this to remove Murkoff. Uhh, I could say that I was attacked. By, uh a bear." 

The walrider does not even give a response other than a general feeling of being unimpressed. Miles heeds to the wisdom of the walrider and finds a nice spot to sit just outside the town. 

Miles relaxes against the tree he sat down beside and starts to wait. Two hours pass and then he hears sirens coming from inside the town. Miles stands and cautiously moves towards the town's edge, he can hear the sound of screams and shouting coming from inside the town. Moving right behind one of the fences for a house, looking at the fence he grabs the top and climbs over. 

Sirens also join the general sounds, but one voice stands out shouting with a mechanical whirring sound. 

"Mine! You are mine!" the shout sounds like it came from a man. 

"What the fresh hell?" Miles makes it over the fence at the front of the house. 

He sees that the street nearest to him is covered in toppled garbage cans and a few splatters of blood. He hears people racing away and the sound of people trying to barricade their doors in attempts to be safe. 

Miles looks up the street and sees a figure chasing a woman and a little kid. Miles lets out a swear and starts to chase after the figure. As he gets closer he can see that the figure is covered in old tattoos and carved symbols. 

_"Someone broke out. You will have to tell them what happened."_

He slows down for a second realizing what he has to do. The man was from the asylum, he was dangerous and Miles looks at the figure noticing the the buzz saw in his hand. Armed and calling out to the pair in front of him.

"Do you remember who that was?" Miles asks the walrider. 

_"Frank Manera. He said to see monsters drinking blood from his chest."_

"Was that you?"

_"No that's just tasteless."_

"Good to know." 

Miles focuses back on the figure and sees that Frank is just a few feet away from the woman and the kid. Miles does the only thing he can think of he shouts out trying to stop him and going into a full run. 

"Frank Manera! Stop this right now!" 

It doesn't matter, Frank is too intent on the target ahead of him. Miles tries to get to him and they both lunge at the same time. Miles grabs Franks ankles and Frank had grabbed hold of the woman in front of him. She starts to try and kick Frank away and her son grabbing his mother's arm trying to help. 

Miles scrambles up on Frank and goes for the buzz saw trying to keep it pinned. Frank lets go of the lady after taking a swing cutting her leg open turning to look at miles. 

"The meat is mine! All mine!" 

Miles sees into the eyes of this madman, his beard and hair matted with blood and some viscera. Miles feels Frank's other fist connect with his side over and over. Miles ignores this and tries to get the buzz saw out of Frank's hand. 

Franks laboured breath hide his curses as he tries to get his hand out from Miles. The walrider tries to take control from Miles wanting the fight to be done with quickly, already out in the open. 

"Fuck off. Both of you." Miles grunts out "Oh fuck this." 

Miles needs to end this quickly he goes and brings Frank's hand to his mouth and bites down of Frank's hand. 

"No! No! Stop that, that is-" Frank's voice cuts into a scream of pain and anger. 

Miles but through taking two fingers and spitting them out and prying apart the rest of Frank's hand. Picking up the buzz saw turning on Frank. 

Miles holding the saw swings at Frank hitting him across the chest. He follows one of the lines down his chest cutting open his stomach. He realizes what he said he wanted by meat, chewed barely digested mush of human meat. 

Miles lets anger take him over, every word is broken by a punch. 

"You! Sick! Monster! Eating! People! All! Of! You! Need! To! Die!" 

After a few seconds Miles tunes into what the walrider is pleads He didn't catch what it was saying beforehand. 

_"-he's had enough! Miles listen to me!"_ panic filled the walriders voice. 

Miles sees that he had beaten Frank's head in. His fist is covered in blood and chunks of scalp and hair. The scars that were already covering him had a new coat of blood. Miles when he had followed the line between carving and tattoos. 

_"Miles? Are you okay Miles?"_ the walriders voice no longer panicked taking on a softer tone. 

Almost worried, almost afraid. The walrider used his name, Miles. He used his name to try and connect with any bit when he was enraged. Had his emotion cut off the walrider making him effectively useless. 

"Miles" the word sounds hoarse when Miles says it. 

_"We need to go, others are coming."_ the voice slowly returning to its usual timber. 

Miles stares at his hands not moving away he picks at the pieces of scalp between his fingers. He looks up and sees the look of horror on the face of the woman crying and holding her leg with one arm. The other arm holding her son close to her shielding his face from the mass of gore. 

_"I got to get us out of here."_

Miles blanks and realizes. He was no better than any others that were at the asylum. He was hiding and running trying to be better than them. Terrified, angry, hurt, all those terrors and he thought he had made it through.

\----------------------------------------

The walrider is thankful for Miles blanking. No control, even with Billy he could do something, try to manipulate him for his own goal. Powerless Miles didn't care what he was doing, there is just so much anger. Stronger than anger, more primal than anything the walrider had felt. It's what made him powerless fear, hatred. 

The walrider slowly takes control of the body and stands Miles up. It looks at the pair on the ground and awkwardly bows its head. It turns and starts to move away. 

Sirens sound from all around. The walrider looks to the street corner and notices the police cars that have Leadville written on the side. 

_"Leadville, small town."_ more police cars come around the corner. _"Large police force."_

A jolt runs through the walrider. 

"Help." Miles whisper out, calling out like a kid wanting comfort, “Please help me.” 

Continuing to repeat it, asking for help trying to stop moving. The walrider tries to pull Miles away from this path, looking down to the people slowly getting out of the car. 

_"Miles can you say more than help, can you help us out?"_

"I killed someone. I went to their level. I am no better than them." 

_"Listen, you did kill him. You did lose control, you went overboard. You, scared me, not with what you did but how human you were. Fully connected to your emotion. I thought you were angry in your dream but that was confusion. This was being one hundred percent human, one hundred percent Miles Upshur. You did the this for the right reason. The woman you saved she looked at you with horror when you first looked up, but that's it, she looked up. She is alive because what you did, you helped her. You are not like them, they are creatures without reason and my hunger for purpose. So when something comes along any whim or desire they follow on it to whatever end. You are better. You are of your own mind, you had your break. Now it's time we work together, now it's time that we talk to them. Miles, I won't be good at this and we need this. Please Miles."_

The walrider backed up during the talk seeing the police approaching Miles still muttering help aloud. Miles stops muttering and looks at the officer. 

"Officers. He was going to kill the woman. He was chasing me through the woods all night. I was on a trail through the mountains and he was chasing me."

"Sir are you okay." The officer closest to Miles asks. 

Miles shakes his head, "No. I am not okay." 

"I'm going to have to ask you to come with us to the station and give a statement on what happened." The officer says while slowly approaching Miles. 

"Do you have any food there? Water, I have had a long day, night. Kids have lost track of time." Miles says this as he starts to walk towards the officer, running his right hand through his hair, wincing when a tangle catches on the exposed bone. 

"We will have that ready. We are going to get you, Nicole, and Robin looked at for your injuries." the officer looks at Miles as he approaches shaking his head and going to help him after a second. "You have been through one hell of a night haven't you?" 

"You don't know the half of it." Miles is brought to the back of an ambulance, seeing the woman sitting still looking at her leg. 

The paramedic starting his examination on her looks at Miles for one second. "Sorry Nicole, this man has to be dealt with first," he helps the lady off off the stretcher and grabs hold of Miles easing him onto the stretcher. "I want you to tell me what happened to you. From the beginning of your trip." He gingerly picks up Miles' hand grabbing cleaning swabs and bandages. 

_"Think of something quick Miles."_

"I drove out yesterday in my car over to visit some of the trails. I heard that they were nice and I went out and on my trail I heard some yelling and I went to try and help but all I managed to do was be ambushed by him. Getting these taken in the fight." Miles holds up his hands, the paramedic gives one surprised look swallowing and nodding. 

"One second, sorry. Officer Elliot!" The paramedic calls out, the officer who helped Miles walks over to the back of the ambulance. 

"Yes, Leighton." Officer Elliot says moving to the ambulance. 

"You are not going to be seeing uh." Miles realizes that he was being motioned to. 

"Miles. Miles Upshur." Miles knew it would be good to comply giving his name. He closes his eyes for a moment and thinks on how this could go bad in the future, but that will have to be a problem for a later Miles. 

"Miles, you're not going to see Miles until I finish the examination. You can talk to him at the hospital tonight if it is so desperate." 

Officer Elliot looks at Leighton as he was already tending to Miles, “He just committed murder- in defense of another of course. But. He is possibly the only person who is able to tell us anything about the person who is screaming “meat” in the streets of Leadville.”

Leighton was passively listening to officer Elliot he looks at Miles and asks him to sit farther up in the ambulance and closes one of the doors. Miles easily moves back and lays down but can still easily hear the conservation outside. 

"Shock is one hell of a drug." Leighton whispers. Elliot peeks his head into the ambulance and does a fuller inspection as Leighton continues. "His clothes are torn to shreds, and I can not hand him over to you in good conscience." 

Nicole sitting nearby looks at the officer and the paramedic "When will I be dealt with, or have I just passed your mind." 

"Your leg has a small laceration Nicole, Officer Elliot can take you and Robin down to the hospital while I bring Miles down first. Paul can you come and help Nicole into Elliot's car along with Robin while I prepare Miles." 

Miles sits back up noticing Leighton climb into the back of the ambulance with him. 

The other paramedic comes over and helps Nicole over to the Elliot's cruiser with his help. Then moves towards the drivers side and closing the other door. 

"Sorry about taking the small second to break the story Miles. Just needed to take care of a few things, I'm just going to ask you to lay down and then we can continue." Leighton says while slowly lowering Miles onto the stretcher. Leighton taps the wall in three quick successions then goes and stands beside Miles again starting to look him over. 

"May I continue the story?" Miles asks and Leighton nods as the ambulance starts to move. "After I was attacked, I managed to slip away and I was running blindly into the forest. I fell into one of the small stale ponds, covered in algae. Trying to keep moving and hearing him through most of the night, I think I got away most of the time only to hear him scream after me. I got a bit of sleep for an hour in a tree, restless. I went to a road when I woke up, and followed it towards the town. He must have passed me on those hills you have." Miles sits up and tries to point out the back of the ambulance. 

Looking out the back of the ambulance. Miles ignores the subtle pushing of Leighton trying to keep him laying down. Miles looks out the back of the ambulance, noticing the small town had a lot of empty buildings and too many houses for sale. 

"What's with all the houses for sale?" Miles asks. 

Leighton humours Miles and indulges in the small talk. "All of these houses are some of the old houses. The town used to be bigger but after the old mines ran out a lot of people moved away. We got stuck with all these abandoned old buildings." 

They turn a corner and Miles spots something that he knows. 

A red jeep. His red jeep. Miles stands in the back of the ambulance Leighton grabbing him to try and help him down. Miles stares at his jeep as he realizes that they made it to the hospital parking lot. He allows Leighton to sit him back down. 

_"The other took it from you."_

The ambulance eventually comes to a stop and Leighton asks Miles if everything is okay. 

"Yeah I just thought I saw something. I must be more tired than I thought." Miles tries to fake a yawn. 

_"Yeah, that was believable."_ Miles was unsure of when the walrider was being sarcastic or not. 

"It is believable Miles you have been awake for most of today having adrenalin running through your system and are still in a bit of shock from your injuries and the fight. I would be more concerned if you were fine, and saying you were perfectly healthy." Leighton responds with a look of inquiry on his face. "Your voice okay?" He says at length. 

The walrider realizes that what he has been saying to Miles can be heard as a whisper. Miles realizes that he has been saying what the walrider has been saying to him. 

"Just thirsty, that's all." Leighton nods as Miles lies to him. 

Leighton stands and goes to open the door. Miles waits and follows him out the back once the door is open. Miles looks at the jeep in the parking lot of the hospital. Officer Elliot exits the car and follows Miles's gaze to the jeep. 

"Yeah, strange fellow came in yester- well actually just this morning. I think he was also attacked by the man on the street. He was spouting also a large number of bruises along with other injuries." Elliot continues, "Why, uh do you know the guy who owns the car?" 

"I might, I think I might. It would be good to see if it's him." Miles says distractedly stepping out of the ambulance. 

Receiving a sigh from Leighton, “Please wait so I can help you Miles. We can't have you die on our doorstep.” 

Miles shakes his head, “The hands already had slowed down bleeding so I won't bleed out here.”

Paul the other paramedic, goes into the small hospital and comes out with two wheelchairs after a second. Miles walks past with Leighton trying to help him. Paul continues grabbing the wheelchair again heading over to Elliot's cruiser. With Robin jumping onto one of the wheelchairs and Paul helps Nicole onto the other. Elliot and Paul each push a wheelchair into the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, hope you have a nice day


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miles confronts Waylon Park the only other to truly escape the asylum.

Miles might have called this a hospital, but the walrider thought otherwise. Barely able to hold more than ten people at once, and others were already here. He walks into the hospital hearing the chairs behind him. Leighton directs him to one of the five rooms. "We are going to have you stay in the room. You will have a roommate, his name is Waylon, he came in this morning. Hello Waylon you have a new roommate, it will just be for a bit we know you have family coming tomorrow." 

The man on the bed looks up at them as the pair walk into the room. Visually tensing at the sight of Miles. Miles notices a camera beside Waylon on the bedside table as he goes to his own bed. 

A nurse walks into the room and gives Miles a hospital dressing gown. "Your clothes looked like they have seen better days," she lets out an apologetic shrug and motions towards the only other door in the room. "you can change in there." 

Miles grabs the dressing gown and heads into the bathroom and changes clothes grabbing the memory disks and looking at the last spare battery he had. 

_"He was the one from the asylum."_ the walrider whispers as Miles strips his changes his clothes. 

"I know, and I will deal with him. We can see what he knows and then chose our final plan of action." 

_"Are you sure you will be able to get anything from him?"_

"If you can anything for dramatics then it should be simple. A small interview, then some of the questions make him crack." Miles does not care how loud he is.

\----------------------------------------

 _"Dramatics?"_ the walrider asks as Miles renters after finishing changing. 

Miles walks to the hospital bed noticing that Waylon had closed his curtain, he sits down on his bed. Lolling his head towards the other bed but thinking to himself that it would be better to actually get some proper rest. 

Miles lays his head down on the pillow and quickly falls into a dreamless sleep, Miles does not make it to a deep sleep before the walrider awakens him. _"Careful"_

Miles mutters "Did you wake me up for that? To say be careful, because if so we should go back to the asylum." 

He can feel the malcontent coming from the walrider Miles slowly rubs the sleep from his eyes and opens them to see Waylon staring at him. But what was more present was the few nurses and doctors starting to crowd around him. "Well uh good mor-afternoon." Miles says slowly bringing himself to a sitting position on the sheets noticing the dirt imprint that he left behind. 

Miles cocky persona fades when all the doctors and the officers start to barrage him with their questions all at once. Being grabbed by the hoard of them is overwhelming, the walrider senses this and wishes to help Miles but knows that in doing so would send them somewhere else. 

Somewhere with Murkoff agents watching over this bond. This was what they wanted to achieve, the walrider tries to give a sense of serenity to Miles. 

The walriders mental assistance was appreciated but was a small base for what had to happen. Everything he said was questioned even by himself, it was all quickly made lies trying to ask his own questions about what tests they were doing. 

The hoard tends to most of his wounds on his hands and arms, Miles refused to remove his hospital gown saying that he was just dirty and needed a shower. Only his hand really needed to be bandaged. 

It continues until there was only himself, Waylon, and Officer Elliot left in the room. Officer Elliot pulls up a chair between both cots and looks at Miles while holding a cafeteria tray with a small army of saran wrapped sandwiches and a flavored and mineral waters. 

"You can eat these and give me the official report for the station the both of you." Elliot says drawing back the curtain on Waylon's cot. "Miles you start, and then Waylon you can add something if you need." 

Miles nods and, "I went out to the trail for the day and was going to stay in one of the bed and breakfasts here in Leadville. That never happened, I started on my trail and it was fine for some time. I heard shouting which I can assume was you Waylon." Miles holds his hand out to gesture to Waylon trying to prompt him. 

"Yeah, there was a lot of shouting." just catching on to Miles's plan. Knowing anything about this man he follows along to the best of his ability.

"I went towards the sound of the shouting off the trail, I must have been off the trail for some time then I started to hear his shouts. Frank Manera must have gotten into the forest, he had tools hanging on the branches. He was gone from the site, from his food supply. I couldn't tell you how many there were,-"

Waylon cuts him off, "There would have to be over ten bodies." 

A pause is held in the air. No one speaks Waylon looks at Miles to continue, silently begging him to stop this pause. 

"After a few minutes in the camp I heard his buzz saw as he was coming back. Cursing, bleeding, and stumbling through the forest naked. I didn't see the saw in his hand in the beginning, I started to approach him thinking he was attacked and then his demeanor changed in an instant. He changed to a beast ready for the attack, I couldn't hear his mutterings from where I was but I heard him shout 'meat' at me over and over again. He charged and then it blurs together as I started to run. I ran into the forest I got turned around and was lost. I reached points of exhaustion, going over a ridge I hid by climbing a tree to lose him. I couldn't go any further, I went down to the ground and curled up by some tree roots and covered myself with leaves and slept. I woke up later in the day and tried to make my way down the rest of the hill and finding the town. I heard him yelling and then he was attacking the people, and you know the rest from there." 

Officer Elliot writes down the last of his notes. Clicking his recorder and turning to a new page he looks at Waylon, "Okay, thank you Miles. Waylon if you're ready I'll get your statement now. Same goes Miles if you have anything to add just say it." 

"You know that isn't standard procedure right?" Miles quips before Elliot had started the recorder. 

"We are a small town that is known for our scenic trails in the mountain and being a supply town for an asylum. We don't see much action, we're not really concerned with normal procedure. As long as we can get our jobs done, all that matters." Elliot says looking at the both of them trying to give a reassuring smile. He hadn't known that they had been through this much hell. 

"I am ready to start," Waylon begins after hearing the recorder click he goes and tells his tale, "I went to go camping on the trail and to get some recordings for a uh documentary I was making to support going green in the business. Up there I was on the trail and decided to make my place for camp in the middle of the night I walked away to use the restroom. Uh well not restroom but to uh," 

"You had to go, I don't need you to describe that just continue." Elliot says trying to help the nervousness that Waylon had. 

"While I was away I nearly slipped on something I looks down and saw blood. I followed the trail that was there and ran into him. Uhh... more he ran into me it was a trap. He hit me multiple times in the head saying how I looked delicious. I was dragged into the clearing and pinned down by him throwing corpses on me. I am not a strong man, and I don't have a strong stomach. I threw up and then I passed out as he started extracting a liver in front of me." 

Miles knew that it was a half truth, he probably saw most of it but there was much more. He saw Waylon fighting back tears. This man could be convincing when he needed to be. 

"I woke up still in the night but he was nowhere to he found, I managed to wriggle my way out from under the corpses. I made a break for it I went back the way I came to see that he had destroyed my camp. He had been the hunter the whole time. I went to the trail all the way back to the main lot, I didn't see a ranger on duty at the trail head, I can assume what happened. I saw a red jeep that was not there the day before I went back into the woods to try and warn but knew whoever would have a chance if I got the force to catch this man. I drove here to the town and made my call to the rangers station. Which is why you guys probably saw the big army jeep passing through, they are canvassing the area trying to see if that was everything of Franks." 

Genius, he was a genius. Waylon could connect all the lies perfectly, and added to make a believable truth. Miles knew that he would have to take what Waylon said carefully. 

"That must have been a horrible experience trapped for the almost two days." Officer Elliot looks down at his clipboard and compares notes he does not sound convinced. 

Miles didn't want to have to come to this, he has gathered some strength the food and water had helped. Together they say it, just as reassurance, "Any problems?"

He looks up slightly disturbed by Miles's voice change, Miles gives a cough to attempt to calm the situation. 

"Uhh no, I could never imagine what had happened to you two. I have a brother who looks like you Waylon, I was just thinking that I should give him a call and check in on him." Elliot says standing up and preparing to leave organizing his papers. 

Miles stares Waylon in the eyes and he extends his hands towards Officer Elliot mouthing, "Just to be sure." Waylon had seen the walrider in the asylum and it has changed, the walrider had taken on a red and ashen tone. 

The walrider had formed itself out of blood and bone, the difference was startling. Nano mites fall off of Miles like beating a rug and form the nano cloud. His skin unnaturally pale, starting to open looking like it was cut open. Miles shakes his head at Waylon and the walrider grabs Elliots head and makes him stop for a second then retreating. Changing Miles’ skin covering it with a black film fading to Miles' faux complexion. 

Waylon knows that Miles complexion should be that of a corpse. 

Elliot shudders and remarks, "Cold here eh?" Elliot leaves closing the door behind him. 

"We both know what we saw, and let I don't want to have to do anything drastic. You are not telling the truth about what you saw. And I accept that as long as you don't ask the same, we can be friends." Miles says relieved that his plan had worked and Officer Elliot didn't die. 

"No." Waylon's respond is curt. 

"Uhhhh," Miles looks at Waylon tilting his head. 

He had only wanted to not explain everything that had gone down, he just wanted to shower and have a few more sandwiches. 

"I will not be silenced after I made it out. Did that thing destroy your brain, you've had it for not even a day and you have lost all that was Miles Upshur?" Waylon growled. 

"How do you know my full name." Miles perks up at the mention of his name. Starting to realize how his last few sentences sounded to Waylon. 

_"Surprisingly dangerous."_ the walrider add its two cents to the situation. 

Miles make note for the walrider to shut it for a moment while he tries to deal with Waylon. With thinning patience for both of them. 

"It is inside you. It was going to kill me for leaving, I will not surrender at this point. I have called my family and they are being taken to safety." 

Waylon had learned that sometimes you got to confront your problems, he made it out, he was not going to die here. Officer Elliot could say that it was Miles who killed him and the manhunt would begin. The walrider would finally be destroyed, and some peace could come to those families affected. 

"This is not the walrider talking this is Miles, how the fuck do you know my name?" Miles sits up while saying this glaring at Waylon, demanding his question be not ignored.

"He's resourceful, he survived without my help."

Waylon glances at Miles mouth and the annoyed expression in his eyes taking two different messages. 

"I don't want to have to ask again. Waylon how do you know my full name." Miles can see Waylon look at the ground Miles is about to ask one last time when Waylon speaks up. 

"I was the whistle-blower, I sent for you and right after I sent the email they got me and locked me in the labs." Waylon shudders, "I had no idea what was really going on there, it was some shady tech and I thought patient abuse. Not what had happened. I'm sorry Miles. I am so sorry," 

There is a long pause. Miles lays back down on his bed placing his palms over his eyes and tries to keep control of his breath. Waylon stays stock still looking at Miles, hearing frustration in his breath and counting the seconds until he is killed. Remembering all the times he had with his children and Lisa. 

Miles eventually speaks up, "You killed me." Miles removes his hands placing them at his side, tone and himself defeated. 

"Waylon you killed me. I had gotten hurt before on the job, part of the fun of it. But you killed me." Miles sits up with a slouched back and hunched shoulders, defeated. 

"I know our lives will never be the same-" Waylon says as he almost falls off of his bed when Miles covers the distance between them. 

"You don't understand, yeah you had it rough, I will be the only person to ever understand that. But here you are outside all still in one piece," Miles says lifting and touching Waylon's arms, legs, hands. 

Waylon closes his eyes when Miles places his hands on his face, "What, you think this is what I'm talking about? No oh no buddy, this was just some of the funner things about being stuck in there. Thank Trager for taking these, but no when I said you killed me I meant it." 

Miles starts to remove the hospital gown and bandages that the nurses put on him. Miles looks at the door walks away from Waylon locks it and finishes removing the gown. Waylon understands what Miles meant. 

"I can't tell you what everything here was from, but I can list some of the better ones. This was from entering and getting thrown out the second story by that huge fucker Chris Walker, this is from that idiot in the basement talking about cats as he beat me with a pipe like we were in a game of clue. This burn was from Chris Walker was chasing me and there was a flaming pipe I didn't see. You've seen the work of Trager can't help but point that out. And now for the best part." 

Waylon gasps as Miles chest looks worse than some of the bodies from the asylum. 

"Where Billy Hope didn't want to share the walrider." Miles says pointing to two large tears right where his his last rib should be, "It was fun being held there. But the rest of the chest is from where Murkoffs guards shot me. Multiple times, with assault rifles. Now neither of us can live without the other, we are condemned to die together. And I can tell you it takes a hell of a lot to kill me." Miles lets out a depreciative chuckle, "So you see why I can be the only one to understand what you went through, this may be your only chance to say anything." 

Miles had wanted to kill Waylon on the spot for saying that he was the one who sent the e-mail. Waylon should thank the walrider for it wanted to spare him. The walrider had some plan, it remembered something that it notices when with Hope. 

Waylon holds himself and is now sitting in a near fetal position on his bed. Miles lets him stay like that for a bit, slipping the hospital gown over his head again. He walks to the window and looks at the clouds. The colors the sunset was giving them, was breathtaking. 

Miles felt elation from the walrider, "Have you never seen the clouds?" 

_"Only yesterday, that was my first time being outside. I could not feel it when you saw me in the asylum. But now I can feel it through you, I can feel everything."_

"Maybe you're right, you're not as scary as they made you out to be. Wernicke would be having an heart attack or something, the terrifying walrider looking at clouds." Miles says. 

Waylon walks over to Miles, "I think, I am ready. I want to ask any questions, while I have the one person who could ever understand be here." 

Miles nods and walks back to his bed sitting down Waylon follows and sits across on his own bed. He looks at Miles and nods his head. 

"You already knew that I worked at Murkoff for a few weeks as a computer consultant, nothing else. Saw you in a newspaper your report on Afghanistan, I know you would go the extra mile for the scoop, so I sent you an email. I was taken in by Blair a few moments afterwards, I don't know how long I was in the viewing chamber. Felt like days was more than likely hours, I was let out when the power shut off, others were already free. I went to get out had to open an airlock and you attacked me. Well not you exactly but the walrider you." 

_"That was Billy Hope, I don't want to attack people. I am sorry Waylon, I did not want to hurt anyone. Billy did and he was in control of me, much like Miles can do at times."_ the walrider taken control of Miles and was different. Miles whole demeanor changed too something lost and confused, and genuinely sorry. 

\----------------------------------------

Miles could see what was happening and was approving of what the walrider was doing. He was not helping Miles and Waylon talk through this. His mind wanders and he loses track of time the conservation passes he looks back and he can feel water on his shirt. 

He can feel a flood of emotion through the walrider, he surpasses a chuckle at the beings expense. Everything they are feeling is for the first time, and at the biggest extreme. 

Whatever Murkoff had wanted to achieve with the program, super soldiers, genetics. It wouldn’t work. You couldn’t tell who you would get for the day. You could ask it to keep you alive but the pain and trauma one must endure beforehand is far too much. 

As for soldiers if one nation had even a six of them they could become the strongest nation politically. If placed not just as soldiers but as assassins, cohering leaders to bend to their will. Miles had already done it, he looking inside someone's mind a place where everything was supposed to be secret but it was wide open. 

He does not feel the need to intrude on whatever the walrider was accomplishing or a need to help him. 

\------------------------------------

"You still scared the crap out of me though," Waylon says hearing the difference in Miles voice but it was softer, "and what happened did hurt." 

"I am sorry for what Gluskin did in my name, and I want to thank you for the justice that you gave him. Sorry again for hitting you with parts of Mr Blair." the walrider sheepishly adds at the end. 

"The amount of times you said sorry I think you would be Canadian." Waylon tries to lighten the mood. 

"Okay that's enough touchy feely time." Miles realizes that it's his voice that is truly distorted, "Feels weird. This voice, may I have control back?"

Miles feels the connection to himself again. He feels a bond growing with the walrider, they had finally been able to see eye to eye. 

"That is still strange," Waylon says shaking his head. 

"You said you had contacted your family earlier? Did you contact anyone else?" Miles wants to finish this business so he could also become closer to Waylon. 

"I contacted a lawyer, I told them I might have the evidence to finally put away Murkoff. Or at the least hurt them, as long as they kept my family safe," Waylon answers honestly. He knows Miles can get the truth if he wants. 

"You only have that tape don't you? What you saw, or well recorded." Miles states. 

"Yes." 

"I want you to take this. Please," Miles stands and goes to his jacket pocket grabbing his disc drive with his recordings. "It has single snaps of the paper trail I found. Delete any recording with the death of Mr. Blair and immediate walking out. Say you took the elevator and found this drive in the hands on one of the soldiers. You can bring us both something close to justice, but there are parts of this mystery that still need to be solved. And as I said it takes a hell of a lot to kill me." 

Waylon does delete the footage and takes the disk drive the Miles hands him nodding. He shakes his head in disbelief and wraps his arms around Miles and gives him a hug whispering. 

"I will get us justice. Murkoff will pay. And if you ever need a spot to stay I will always have my doors open to you," He looks up letting to of the hug noticing the slightly confused look on Miles face, "just don't bring a host of Murkoff scientists behind you. Lisa would probably kill me." 

"I won't bring anyone to you. I promise, you will probably never hear from me ever again anyways. But I will leave you to yourself for a bit, I desperately need a shower and some more sleep." Miles runs his hand through his hair and rocks back on his heels before moving to the bathroom. 

"What was that?" the walrider asks quietly after the bathroom door was closed. 

"What was what?" Miles asks stripping again. 

"The action that Waylon did."

"A hug. Holy shit, wow. Okay I know that Murkoff was filled with assholes but you have never experience a hug before. That was a bro hug, it was to show friendship and stuff." Miles explains throwing the hospital gown onto the ledge. 

He turns on the shower and as the water hits him he quickly skirts out of the way. Not only was the water freezing cold but the walrider was made of nanomites, “Eh, uhhhhhhh. I can't think of a less awkward way to put this, can you stay safe while I shower. It’s going to be some hot water and I don't want to be accidently electrocuted or anything, or fry your circuits. Because that would be hard for Waylon to explain why the is an electrocuted bleeding body in the shower.” 

”Miles, I am inside of you, I am in your blood and marrow of your bone, some hot water will not harm us.” the walrider chides.

“Oh thank god.” Miles preached extremely relieved and tests the water with his hand, warm but not hot yet. 

He turns the handle towards even hotter and steps under the water. Miles tilts his head back and enjoys the feeling of the water clearing his skin washing away the grime, blood, and horrors of Mount Massive for a few moments. 

”If you do not believe in God why do you try to thank him?” Miles opens his eyes and stares straight ahead knowing his moments turned into seconds. 

“I know people question things in the shower but really? Calm down shower thoughts.” 

”I just want to understand.”

“I know, I know, just trying to joke with you, deadpan humor was my thing. Hmmm, a lot of people always say that they thank God even if you don't believe in him it's a saying to express relief or just thanking random circumstance.” 

“A few of them called me God, were they not believing in me?” 

“There is a difference they believed in you with all their heart. Billy tried to change them along with Murkoff, they wanted an army or something just as convoluted.” Miles distractedly says this grabbing for shampoo looking over once his hand doesn’t grasp anything.

“We can ask for shampoo.” 

“No.” 

“Are you okay?”

“Honestly. No.”

Silence hangs in the air between them. Miles admitted it, he was not okay, he was hurt he had wanted to change his life with this story, but not like this. No one could have ever guessed that their life could change like this. He was a good man, had played things by the book, mostly. Sometimes for a scoop bending a law or two had to be done, people had a right to know what was happening in the world. He was fired and was desperate.

He had friends that cared, not a big family but if things got really rough he could have called on them. He had no one now.

“You have Waylon, and myself.”

“It’s not the same.” Miles whispers. 

“What did it feel like? To have family, ones that didn't see you as a means to an end?” the walrider voiced.

The walrider had no one, if Wernicke had cared about him is was different than if he cared for him. “I’m sorry.”

“Do they care about you, what you feel, how you are?”

“They should. But that’s not true for every family.” 

“Family, is parents siblings-”

“Family is a choice, they are the people that will stick by you, Just because someone gave you life does not mean they are family. You don't have to abide by the rules of the nuclear family, mom and dad, a younger or older sibling. They don't matter, they can be torn from you. You can take yourself away from them, don't look back on them if you hate them.” Miles cuts off the walrider.

_”I ruined the shower didn't I?”_

“No, they did, what type of shower has no shampoo. At least we are a bit cleaner. Do you want to talk more to Waylon?” Miles asks putting on clothes.

_”No, I will let him sleep. I want to try and rest to recover strength as well.”_

“Okay.” 

Miles can feel the walrider inside his head trying not to make a mess with his mind but still curious so it doesn't have to ask so many questions. He can feels it’s embarrassment for not knowing small things, words definitions to items that have no real use. Miles blanks operating and functioning on autopilot he walks back to the bed. 

He ignores the look that Waylon gives and goes back to bed. His hair still slightly wet he turns over laying on his side facing the door. 

Waylon given Miles his space to sleep, but still both lay awake for a few hours. Neither speaking, each allowing themselves to understand what the other has gone through. A clear sleep, in a blank space. Nothing special, nothing to be compared to the previous nights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you have a good day!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally a respite for Miles, there could be time to relax and finally have interaction. He knew that Murkoff will be coming for him sooner rather than later but he needs a break.

Miles wakes up feeling like he just closed his eyes. The sun glares into his eyes, shutting them tightly he makes his way towards the window closing the blinds angrily. The noise wakes up Waylon, who bolts upright staring at the source of the noise. 

Taking a breath he rubs the sleep out of his eyes, "Did you get any sleep?" 

"Doesn't feel like it. Body is still catching up to everything." Miles says looking out the down turned blinds. He spots a new car in the parking lot behind the hospital, morning shift must have arrived. 

"It's weird pulling an all nighter then trying to sleep. I remember nights and days where I was dog tired after the kids kept me up. Still I always had to work." Waylon drones, letting out a yawn. 

Miles yawns and answers not wanting any awkward silences, "Trying to have a paper out before five in the morning having stayed up editing it to three." 

_"I never sleep,"_ the Walrider speaks inside Miles head. 

Miles turns around looking at Waylon thinking his paranoia was just getting the best of him. He was safe and out of the asylum, but his life would change. 

"Do you think they would be upset if I went to get food at this hour?" Miles ponders knowing if he is to leave it might be a while until he has money for food or a proper place. 

_"If you do get caught, I could help."_

"Still not use to that." Waylon shudders eyes locked on to Miles mouth. 

They both apologize, " _S_ o _r_ r _y_."

"If you can grab me a muffin. I saw they had banana nut muffins." Waylon asks with a half smile. 

"Will try." Miles gives a one and a half fingered salute, realing that he gives a quick embarrassed smile and a nod and tries to leave with whatever dignity he could muster.

Miles sneaks his way out of the room closing the latch behind him so the door is left slightly ajar. Walking down the hallway the lights turn on with automatic sensors the fluorescent lights bleaching the hallway. The blue walls and white speckled tiles look so normalized. Eventually he spots a door with kitchen written on it, moving towards the door the Walrider takes initiative and turns the lock. 

Miles jiggles the door knob, "It's locked now," Miles hissed, "we still got some work to do." the Walrider unlocks the door, "You didn't let me down man. I'm used to them being locked." 

_“This would be much different if you haven't gone through what you had though.”_ The walrider whispers as the door handle turns. They push open the door together and look at the hospital's so called kitchen. 

Kitchen would have been a generous description for this glorified pantry. Miles helps himself to another set of sandwiches grabbing a few sealed boiled eggs. 

_"I don't like it. It looks slimy, don't like food in tubes either."_

"It tastes good though, and no gogurts I promise." 

_"Slimy."_ the Walrider opens one of the eggs and squishes it between their fingers. 

"Stop that." Miles shoves the other items on the counter trying to wrestle the egg out of his other hand, "Give it to me. Stubborn bastard!" gritting his teeth he grabs the wrist and brings it to his mouth eating the egg, "Tasty." 

_"What did you do to it!"_ the walrider panics, _"You made it into a mush. Is food supposed to do that?"_

"Is food supposed to do that. Is food supposed to do that? Yes, master swarm God food is supposed to do that.” Miles rubs the bridge of his nose and wipes his hand off on the hospital gown. 

_"Why?"_

"I am going to hate that word aren't I?" 

_"Why?"_ the walrider asks sounding sarcastic if it could. Miles narrows his eyes but the walrider re-asks what happens to food and why it needs to be chewed. 

"So I don't choke. Please it's too early to explain where food goes so don't ask that." 

_"I was not going to."_ the walrider starts. 

Miles matches the walriders earlier sarcasm, "And I'm not Miles Upsure." 

_"Technically."_

"Figure of speech." Miles exasperates grabbing a small tray of banana nut and chocolate chip muffins. Picking up what he left on the counter along with a few drinks, he starts to make his way back to his room. 

There were no guards here in this place, might be a janitor asleep at a console of television's who was supposed to be watching security but that was it. The walls were clean, the hallways were intact. It might have looked cliche but at the moment it was perfect, not permanent but perfect. Subconsciously he steps landing his feet inside the floors large tiles and counts his steps back to the room.

_“Why don't you go past three?”_

“Its part of the game.” Miles quietly mumbles. He explains it further, “Something I did as a kid always try to get out of these tiles in two steps, but you look like you are auditioning for a monty python skit when you try that as an adult. So I accepted walking on these tiles and on rare occasion having to take three steps. It's about one of the few things I surrendered since… since I was a kid.”

 _“Did you think as a child something bad would happen if you took more than three steps?”_ the walrider asks.

Miles almost pauses, “I never really thought of that. It was something you did with friends counting out loud and running down the sidewalk shouting one and hearing a groan and someone saying two.”

_“It had no purpose then?”_

“It was for fun. Fun. Something that is... Not a necessity to physical health but the mental state to have stimulating relaxation.” 

_“You confuse me.”_

Miles can't help but chuckle as he makes it to his shared room, Waylon turns when he hears the door opening, “You didn't get in trouble?”

Miles trying to be neutral, despite the moment that they shared last night. He would heed the walriders warning. Walyon survived without the walriders help, he was capable, “Not at all. I think they only have one other person on staff at this ungodly hour.” 

Miles sets down the package of muffins opening it and snagging himself a muffin goes to his bed. Opening one of the drinks of water savours the breakfast. They eat in almost silence not knowing what else to say in this strained friendship brought out of pain. 

After the food is gone Waylon speaks up, “What are you going to do?” 

Miles shrugs and gives an indecisive noise before he starts to realize he had not brought anything back with caffeine in it. He sighs, “I wanted to- I don't know.” 

Waylon glances at Miles, “That bad huh?” 

Miles nods, “I had everything set out or me. Heh, I had a dream for what was going to happen after the Murkoff case. Want to hear it?”

_“Is this dream different from a sleep cycle dream?”_

“Sure.” Waylon responds after the walrider asks its question. 

“I was going to take an actual vacation. Not spend whatever money I had from a previous project on the next scoop. I was going to go somewhere, thought to the touristy destinations, but then realized I would start doing my job and try to report on any injustices I saw. I knew that I would have to take a cruise off the Alaskan coast. Nothing to see or do up there.” 

Waylon nods, “You're a cold weather person then?” 

“I boil in the sun. I got used to it when I had to for a different report but still give me the cold any day. It's why I was- I was glad to be getting a job up in the cold Colorado mountains.” Miles says, he had admitted that he was glad for the job. He nods a few times then turns to Waylon, “So what are your dreams or plans after this?” 

Waylon blows out a sigh, “My goal after this was to use the money to finish up the deck and surprise the boys with a pool for the summer. Lisa and I were gonna spend a weekend to ourselves and go to the restaurant that we had our first date at, so simple and plain.” 

Miles moves towards Waylon and gently claps him on the back, “No don't say that. They sound realistic which is good. Still missing out on what your dreams are.” 

Waylon think upon the statement before answering, “My dreams. My dreams are to come out of this alive and just have my family be safe. I don't care much for revenge because they will try to take everyone down with them as they crumble.” 

Miles looks at Waylon with an upraised eyebrow, “Dramatic.” 

“Sorry.” Waylon says shrugging. He stands up and continues, “It is just the truth. In the radio tower of the asylum people were going to find out but Jeremy Blair the man who put me in there . He- He broke the radio and all the electronics there. People still didn't come. Guards wanted to call for help but it wasn’t possible, I heard them threaten each other but I didn't stay around to see if their would be actions on that.” 

Miles stands and goes to interrupt or quiet him, but Walyon continues, “But what does it mean when they don't show up. They didn’t show up to help. I was there from the beginning, I know I don’t remember how everything fell but I was trapped here, along with most of their assets and they only cared about keeping up their reputation and making sure they were safe. They-”

“It’s not the fight for anyone else to die on.” Miles says cutting him off. Waylon starts to protest but Miles puts both of his hands on Waylon’s shoulder, “Lisa. And your boys. You fought for your family. I don’t have anyone I’m expendable, stay for your family.”

“Miles...” Waylon starts. 

Miles doesn't know how to add to Waylons statement but stands up himself and walks away. He walks over to the window and would have let it be at that but it couldn't be left at that, “Waylon.”

Waylon heard the tone shift in Miles’ voice, “Yes?” 

“You said you just contacted your family. Did you lie?” Miles’ voice holds an unearthly calm. He turns on the spot slowly drawing back the blinds as Waylon comes closer. 

“I told Lisa that I was in the hospital. I don't remember being here for the first few hours, I might have said that I needed someone.” Waylon confesses. He arrives at the blinds to see a convey sitting in the parking lot, “I did not call for anything like that. I know I wouldn't do something like that, Lisa could have been worried about me but I don't think.” 

Miles walks away from the window for a moment biting on his nail, “Shit. Shit fuck goddamnit.” 

It was Waylon's turn to cut off Miles, “Language.” 

_“They are coming we don't have time or strength to do this.”_ The Walrider plainly states. 

Miles turns away from Waylon looking back to the window crumpling a few of the blinds, “What do you mean the strength or-” 

_“I- We can only do so much. I have been trying to keep you alive through all the injuries. I need to rest but I also need to keep you alive.”_

Miles nods looking at the window, “Thank you for that.” 

Waylon runs his hands through his hair, “We are so fucking dead. If that is Murkoff or anything we are never going to be seen again- Miles what are you doing.” 

Waylon turned around to see Miles rummaging through the dresser and throwing supplies everywhere as quietly as he could. Waylon goes closer and whispers, “What are you doing?” 

“I am messing up the room.” Miles hisses back. 

_“He can see that.”_

Miles answers both, “Waylon don't touch anything. You will leave prints. And don't sound alarmed but what blood type are you?” 

Waylon backs away, “AB+ I'm a universal donor.” 

Miles smiles, “Good it will make things easier. I want you to be ready to run,-”

“-What are you talking about?” Waylon asks grabbing hold of Miles, “Just tell me!”

Miles doesn't answer he, grabs one of the buttons from his jacket and snaps it in half. He looks down at the sharp end of the button and slashes it against his wrist. Easily cutting it open he starts grabbing clothes off the ground and adding a splash of blood wherever he could, “I need you to be able to help me get out of here. If they know that Miles Upshur is here I am screwed.” 

“Alright what do you need me to do?” Waylon asks, he was ready to do anything at this point. 

“I am going to need you to scream- In a moment!” Miles hisses when he hears Waylon start to breathe in. “I need you to say that I attacked you but you fought me off and I ran.”

Waylon nods, “What if they don’t believe me?” 

“It won't come to that. Trust me.” Miles says as he grabs one last piece of a robe and rips it off using it as a bandage. He can see Waylon wanting to protest, “It makes sense now. This place has been emptied. They are going after me. I gave my real name when I arrived.”

“I didn't even do that!” Waylon exclaims as Miles starts to go to the window. 

“I was in a bit of shock. I don’t need the lecture.” Miles stands at the window and peeks through the blinds. 

Waylon follows Miles looking up to the sky he places his hand on the bridge of his nose, “We were both in shock and-” 

“At that point it was under five minutes since I killed Frank Minevera-”

“Frank Manera” Waylon corrects but Miles switches thoughts ignoring him.

“-Where are my keys. In my clothes which are in the nurse's office? Pantry.”

Waylon waves trying to get Miles’ attention, “Miles, Miles. Miles! They are with my gear I took the jeep.” 

Miles starts moving towards the door frame. He finally looks back at Waylon and smiles, “Don’t worry. It takes a hell of a lot to kill me. On a serious tone, if you start to hear gunfire hide. If you hear an ungodly noise then run. Try to find a way to call this number.” Miles looks around and scrawls a number in his own blood on the wall, “This was one of my friends. Tell them things went worse than Miles at the water fountain and then tell him where you plan to be. He should show up.”

Waylon looks at the number then back up, “Should? Miles-” 

Miles was already gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry fro delay I hop you have a good day and I remembered this only because someone left a kudos so kudos to them!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miles finally leaves Waylon behind. It was time to move on, and to make a plan for them to survive.

The halls were still empty, the motion sensor lights were off but flickering on while he was running through the hallway. His thoughts were on finding the office where all personal belongings were and to get out before anyone else entered. “What happens if we don't make it out in time?” 

Miles did not want to discuss this right now but obliges, “We will be neutralized.” 

_“At least they won’t kill us.”_ The wallrider adds. Their thoughts were shaken a moment later. 

“Deah would be peaceful. Death would be merciful. When they put you back in with Billy Hope that was the beginning. They know you can meld with a host, and with that they will find some fanatic who is willing to go through everything to have control over you and your powers- Shit did we miss the door?” Miles turns back and sees a small receptionist counter. 

Pillars of labeled tupperware boxes were behind the counter, _“We should get clothes too. Before we run.”_

Miles tries to stick his arm in the small talking area, swearing under his breath as that plan fails he tries to remove his arm but it was wedged fast. Wiggling and then finally yanking the arm almost out of socket the glass cracks as Miles spirals back. He backs up and looks at the window then to his feet, “Well fuck me.”

_“What?”_

The walrider felt the small fracture in the foot and shards of glass being caught in the ankle, and along the lower thigh. It can't help but repeat itself, _“What!”_

“May you heal that?” Miles says as he quickly pulls his leg back and removes the rest of the hospital gown and uses that to wipe away any excess glass. He gingerly puts some weight on it then bounces back to the other foot and crawls inside the room. 

_“I am working on it. It would help if I wasn’t having to use your muscles to expel the glass imbedded in your leg!”_ the walrider protests when Miles tries to stand inside the office. 

Miles takes the shards and rips them out with one hand, and futilely tries to scour through the bins to find the keys or clothes that would fit. He can feel his legs seize, “Are you almost done? I need to focus on one task.” 

The walrider asks Miles, _“Can you not feel your own leg?”_

Miles matches the walriders tone, “I honestly don't think I have that many nerve endings left so no.” 

_“Liar. Then why ask about if I was done? Then why say it still hurts?”_

Miles tests some weight on the leg again then focuses on trying to find clothes and keys. He finds the bin labeled Waylon Park underneath a desk half hidden waiting to be properly put away, muttering as he starts tossing the belongings out of the bin trying to find what he needed. 

“There you are.” Miles says to the keys, picking them up and kissing them. He searches a few moments more and can't find someone who was his size that had clothes that weren't destroyed. Giving up he turns around and sees a security uniform hanging up, “And there you are.” 

_“What happens if Waylon confuses us? Thinks we are one of them?”_

“He's smart. He won't. And we have to make sure we make it out.” Miles says as he finishes putting on the security guards uniform. 

Miles exits the security room with haste trying to flatten his hair to some degree. He could not afford to look like Mike Upshur. Throwing the hat over his head giving up on the hair he hears the first slam on the door and starts to run to his and Waylon's room, _“Hurry!”_

“What do you think I’m doing?” 

Miles make it to the shared room and immediately books it to the window trying to peek out of the blinds. Waylon jumped back when Miles stormed through the room, “I thought you were one of them.” 

_”I was right.”_

“Thanks for not attacking me then.” Miles responds seeing the car still outside but it was now surrounded, “Hell.” 

“I was more going to sneak away-”

Miles turns and looks at Waylon, “Don't they are just breaking in. If I have to fight I have a better chance of sneaking around outside there to get to a car. Waylon… thanks for covering for me.” 

“And sorry for getting you killed. Don't let me kill you again by saying goodbyes go.” Waylon says waving Miles away as he quickly closes the door and moves to the corner. 

Miles nods and opens the window and jumps out landing on the ground his arms windmill wildly and he tires to roll with the fall from the window down the hill. The walrider tries to help keep Miles off the ground, but gives out almost at the end of the hill and Miles lands painfully on his side for the last roll. 

“That could have gone better.” Miles says quickly going into a crouch and trying to get his bearings. 

The walriders voice quietly rings out, _“I can deal with the non-lethal later.”_

Miles pats himself on the back, “It's alright. I will try to make this as easy as possible.” 

Miles starts moving towards the parking lot sirens start to blare behind him in the hospital, without looking back it was the time for him to press forwards. He breaks into a sprint when the guards spot him. 

Ducking when a hail of bullets start approaching he dive rolls but feels a bullet clip his shoulder. Suppressing the cry of pain he digs his thumb into the wound and digs out the bullet and starts running to the jeep again. 

_“Keep going.”_

Miles slams into the jeep door and jams the keys into the door turning them and in two seconds was getting into the car, luckily Waylon had parked badly so he had a few extra moments. The jeep starts easily and he starts driving away as fast as he could. 

A pursuit starts as Miles drives away, Miles tears through the streets of Leadville going for the highway, he knows that he Jeep isn't as fast as his convoy but a jeep has one advantage of being able to drive off road. 

Miles goes off road and goes as fast as he can the expensive cars staying on the road trying to predict where Miles would come back to the road. He drives and drives dodging and swerving through the trees barely avoiding some of the older trunks. Miles can swear that he can hear the transmission crying under the jeep but he finally loses all the cars that were stupid enough to chase him and he takes a moment to breathe. He knows it won't last long Miles takes one last breath and starts to rummage through the back of the jeep. 

_“Are you okay?”_

“I am fine. Are you fine?” Miles asks pulling out the centre column of his back seat and grabs his emergency backpack with bottled water and some snack foods. 

_“I don't know how much more we can do today. All my energy is going to you so we don't appear to weaken.”_

Miles winces he could hear it in the walriders voice. The walrider reassures Miles, _“It is as much for you as it is for me. If one of us goes so does the other.”_

“I know. But we can't stop here, this is the beginning and we are not going to lay down and die here. Not is some Colorado forest again.” 

Miles wanted to keep his promise but they both realized that they would have to work the body to exhaustion if they wanted to survive the morning let alone the day. They could not stop or be stopped. 

_“Is it really wise to go back there?”_ The walrider asks as Miles check on any other hiding spots in his jeep and starts walking off trying to look at the morning sun for directions. 

“Home will be one of the best of worst locations. I am guessing that they have cleared out my bank account but I never kept that much there for a reason, most of it is in my place scattered around. Even if you flip my house you would only be able to find a quarter of my money or savings.” 

_“So you were paranoid?”_

Miles cracks a smile, “I was just being prepared for the job.” he explains, “It's not like you never heard of the rogue journalist like myself who tried to take on something to big and ended up being hurt or losing what they had to the job. It's not unusual to be prepared for the real world.” 

_“If you have to hide everything then how is what you show real?”_

“Buddy it's still too early to be trying to make me question the answers of the universe. I was just talking hypnotically about worst case scenarios for what could happen to me.” 

The walrider lets it be at that. Miles doesn't say anymore and starts going into the woods on foot. He makes a list of everything he had and knows it's going to be rough. 

He had enough snacks and food to last three days four if he stretched it. Thirteen hundred in cash and prepaid cards with an almost half split. A burner phone and a few maps of the area. A small medicine kit, and another bag containing toiletries. It was a basic survival kit with a few small additives. 

_“I think we should be careful.”_

Miles gives a small deprecating chuckle, “Careful, I think we are a long ways past being careful.” 

_“I was just suggesting.”_

Miles nods mentally packing up the bag re-shouldering it, “I know you have the best of intentions. Tensions are running high and I just want to relax for one goddamn day, but we can't get a break.” 

The walriders voice is curious as it prods the new question, “What about vengeance?” 

Miles nods and knows he has nothing better to do so as long as he keeps trotting through the woods he should be fine, “People can't be consumed by one emotion or the next. If they live by that standard then the person is too unstable, or know to think with their head is a better way to put it. Remember when I became so angry you had no control. You said that at that moment I was one hundred percent human, or one hundred percent Miles. At that moment with the blood on my hands and my chest heaving I could not think of myself as anything human. I hated myself and I know you felt it but it was more than self pity or even loathing it was self hatred. Emotions are amazing, they are also false. It is all chemical reaction in someone mind used to change how you react to certain situations, and certain people. This can be countered by when we get older we understand what we are feeling and we can process that we are feeling more than one emotion at a time. These emotions are strong enough to affect our physical bodies as well. It's funny right?” 

_“That does not release dorphiminies.”_ That got Miles to smile, _“But that released dorohiminies.”_

“Because you trying to understand in the happiness that you get when a toddler is learning about the world around them. It's funny.” 

_“You are one of the first to be happy to see me.”_ They pause for a second, _”Sane people happy to see me.”_

Miles nods and presses himself against a tree bearing a passing convoy truck and he waited to more or speak, “You saved my life a few times it proves I can count on you.” 

The walrider doesn't know how to respond and just goes quiet. It analyses what it felt, and found that it made them feel better despite their stressful situation. Words would not describe it at this point but they would have to learn them later, _“I will try to rest lest a worst situation arises.”_

“Hopefully it doesn't but thank you for warning me.” Miles whispers back. 

\----------------------------------------

Miles tries out a few small thoughts but hearing no response was a bit jarring. He knew he was going to be alone but this was the first time in days where he was completely by himself without any intrusions or other thoughts. Even followed in his dreams but not his dreamless sleeps those were still forgotten. 

For the first time in days he was alone while still jarring it was liberating. It was also isolating Miles found out as he was making his way through the forest, the same type of forest hour in an hour out. He goes to the edge of the road occasionally checking for cars but when he sees none he crosses, there were very few times that he wanted to try and wake up the walrider but decides against it. 

It comes to the night and smiles guessed that he had traveled all that he could for the day. His aching calves and sore feet were thanking him as he relaxes against a tree and slides down, “This will not be my life for long.” 

He can't sleep at the moment his body was tired but he didn't want to sleep he wanted to remember everything. He looks up and sees the stars and gives a smile. Too much light pollution in the city to see them at night. It was a change but he finally fell asleep and would sleep through the night. 

He was down two days but started casual conversation with the walrider when they finally awoke, “What do you remember?” 

_“I am remembering more and more now. Everything about Wernicke's experiments is slowly coming together but some of it is still blending with the hosts from before. May I ask why?”_

“Most people don't remember a lot about when they- why didn't you find that out yourself?” Miles asks. 

_“I wanted to allow you your privacy.”_ The walrider explains then furthers it, _“It might be counter-intuitive to say that I looked to see that you enjoy having personal time and also bubble baths.”_

“No one can know that. I got a reputation to keep. But thank you. So… is there anything you want to know about being human or-?” Miles leaves the question open ended allowing the walrider to show its priorities. 

They pass by another road and Miles stops to grab something to eat once the road was out of sight behind them, _“How long until we reach the city? And what do we plan to do there?”_

Miles finishes chewing and then talks, “What I plan to do in the town is steal a car to get back to my apartment a few towns over so we can get all the information we need to plan our next attack against Murkoff.” 

There was no response for a while until Miles prompts them to talk again, “That is the plan. Right?” 

There was a pause again before responding, _“Yes. We need to right what injustices they brought on the world but is it all going to be a fight?”_

“Yes.” Miles says after a pause, “No. I don't know.” 

“It will be an uphill battle. One I’m not sure we can win but we have come to terms with working together and now we follow an idiom along with Murkoff. We made a bed now we sleep in it.” 

_“We will work through our decisions and everything that comes with them. Yes.”_ The walrider affirms, _“Did you enjoy having freedom when I was resting?”_

Miles shakes his head, “Hey I had a question first, it was a two part and I never got to ask it.” 

Both keep to a silence not wanting to answer the others question, those questions would need to be answered later. 

_“So what was your question?”_

Miles rubs the back of his neck, “I was really wondering what you remembered from the beginning of your creation or if you took infantile steps like everyone else knowing that you existed and had the memories deleted?” He swallows and continues, “I know it's kind of a heavy hitter of a question.” 

_“You are more interested if I was more human than machine.”_ The walrider states. 

Miles sputters, “I thought you said you weren't going inside my head?” 

_“I am not going inside your memories anymore it cannot forgo what I have seen and when you have a double entendre you tend to rub the back of your neck without realizing it. I know that your job has made you a dangero- inquisitive person if not a bit brash to certain situations and this will make you ask questions to sate your own knowledge of the world.”_ the walrider explains.

Miles notices the slip up in the walriders words and lets it slip by, “I didn't know I did that.” 

_“I have seen a lot into your behaviour and then right now you are feeling hurt and slightly annoyed.”_

“Yes. Because my question wasn’t answered. What do you remember from the beginning of your existence?” 

_“I remember so little about when I was first created. I want to remember so much more but I must work on it. Some of them were removed and others were replaced but parts remained in the core of my programing. It was how I can be how I am. There was no one to teach me empathy, or sympathy. There was nothing that related to my emotions, I was a byproduct of other experiments to say the least. I was never me in this state if that makes sense.”_

Miles lets it be at that when he doesn't feel another part of the explanation coming. He does feel some obligation to make a comment though, “If you do need to discuss anything I am here for you.” 

Miles keeps going forwards avoiding conservation but answers a few small questions about how humans functioned and other simple mundane questions but there was nothing that would cause the other ire. This pattern lasts until they finally reach the next town over and both think that this one should go better than the last one. They still knew they had to go over to the next few towns via car or any means possible to remain safe. 

“Are you ready for this? We will need to take out cameras and remove plates screwing around so they don't see what car we take until we can pass to a proper auto dealer… why the hell don't we just take a brand new car? Stop at a gas station, so we can continue to the house and grab my gear before I- we figure out what to do next.” 

_“So we are going back there? Despite the dangers, because you want your stuff?”_ The walrider asks skeptically. 

“It's not for my stuff it's for supplies. We need to have money to do things like get food, gas for the car, places to stay. Credit cards will leave a trail, bills are cleaner.” Miles explains, “We need things to survive and then we can lay low until they file us in the back of their minds, then we make or move and resurge again.” 

The walrider agrees with the plan understanding that the body of Miles needs more sustenance than what it got previously and Miles believed in the plan so it would have to go along as well. They would have to agree on this, for the sake of what they shared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writers block is being chipped away at. I do want to keep updating and finish this story, and I will but I am not going to be promising consistent updates. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a good day.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miles is short for cash and supplies. Where there is a walrider there is a way. Though the moral implication is questioned.

They were finally at Miles home town and they had already ducked out of the clothes they were given and had to steal a few shirts to be able to be seen in public. It still wasn't enough to keep a completely low profile as they tired walking through the streets of the city. The city folk were different from the townspeople they paid less attention to the person who kept his hands shoved in his pockets and tried to keep his focus from not checking out everything that could be a threat. 

He saw some of the looks he was given and then tried the first few times to smile at them in response, then as there were more and more then he decided that the best course of action would be to just ignore it all and quickly move on. He knew that if he tried to respond to everyone then it would either try to talk about the hooded stranger that tried to smile, or he would get sucked into conversations by the one person who was too friendly.

They had kept track of the cars that they used and were looking for them in the news. The second car they used was found but they left that twenty miles away from where they were looking like it came from this city before they ditched it. Miles had pointed out that they didn't have enough for, food, shelter and a car and they kept moving on foot, they could get some food and shelter. Eventually stumbling across a place that was secure they just needed the cash. 

_“I have an idea. We can rob a bank.”_

Miles took a half second to process the ridiculous request, his mind went and thought of the banks in the town that could be easiest but the shred of morality Miles had spoke through, “What? No! We are trying to keep a low profile. Robbing a bank is not keeping a low profile.” Miles harshly whispers back, massaging his forehead with his knuckles hearing some of them gently crack. He told the walrider to be more concerned with his safety rather than the moral implications of actually robbing the bank, he needed a break from this. 

The walrider justifies their opinion explaining how it could be done, _“I can distort our features.”_ The morals were still lost on them. 

It was a good thought, but they could not be caught for anything. Plain people were worrying Miles at this point, reigniting the trail was not something he wanted to do. Miles shakes his head, “Nice try but think about if you did distort our features then the cameras would pick it up and- and could you do what you did the the elevator for other electronics?” 

The walrider freezes and thinks on the request. It hadn't any knowledge of what it could do to other electronics. The elevator was a key, it filled out a specific task and did its job it didn't need anything fancy at that point. 

_“We can try but I might take a moment.”_ The walrider sounded a little concerned but tried to bluff it's way to sound confident.

Miles nods hearing the tremor in their voice and tries to reassure the walrider, “I can grant some time. If we find a spot that an ATM has a broken camera link then we will have the time we need and you can have some granted freedom. Lets see what you can do if you are connected to the world, just don't lose it. Please. I just don’t want a skynet situation happening.”

 _”Skynet?”_

Miles sucks in a bit of air and looks down, he clicks his tongue at the top of his mouth. They had to work on references, if they had time. The walrider didn't see anything forthcoming on the skynet comment and they go back to the original thought, _“I will try, and how will that connect to the world?”_

“We got a lot to learn still. But we can do this right? We can get a few grand in small bills and pass it off as a scam simple.” Miles says hyping himself up to the task. He could do this, but the illegals things here was not worse than anything he had ever planned or done before, but this time it was just for him and not for the greater scheme of people. 

It takes a few hours for Miles to find a suitable place for them to find an ATM and someone who looks like they have something in their bank account. He shakes out in a side alley before walking on a small street and bumping into the person taking the wallet from their pocket.

_“What we are doing is wrong correct?”_

“We are doing what we need to be done.” Miles responds, now was not the time to be questioning morals. Not now that they were too close to this success, “Wait a fucking second. Didn't you suggest we rob the bank first?” 

Miles feels something that was like sarcasm, _“I might not have- I am willing to try and keep everything in your newest plan going smoothly.”_

“What the hell was that?” Miles asks grabbing the card and the cash in the wallet before stuffing the wallet into his pocket. The walrider was either developing a sense of humor in a stressful situation or they were learning to lie. While one of those option seemed good, the other was looking bleak they had to be able to trust each other, “Alright. I will drop it but are you ready to work now? It was more rhetorical but we are going through. I can put the card in and it will not give access until I enter the pin code or times out in two minutes so you got to be able to extract the cash before then. Alright?” 

Miles waits one second in front of the ATM and sees the walrider coat the card and Miles was hesitant to put the card in but takes a breath and does it. A small growing shock can be felt in his hand and instinct wants to pull it away but the walrider forces it to stay there. His body can't help but contract at the electricity coursing through his system it was beginning. 

_“We can't back away now. I need time to figure this out, Miles. Please.”_ The walrider asks as they try to force the other hand to rest on the other side of the screen. The electricity goes through him fully grounded to the machine and Miles grips the screen harder his knuckles going white. 

He could feel his arm tense and he forms a breathy sentence against all logic he still speaks, “I didn't mean to it was the bodies natural-! Fuck this hurts… can you hurry up?” 

The walrider takes another second but can also feel the toll on the body it's why they grounded the current to the arms using its nanotechnology as a conductor to keep it from having Miles heart give out instead. They wished they would have thought of this sooner when the body first connected to the machine but they would heal it later. They never had been connected to so much and it was not freedom it was something else they had no idea how something human was supposed to process everything in a lifespan. 

They focus when they start to feel the skin on Miles hand that was on the card start to bubble from burns as the skin pops and sears beneath the electric burns, it takes four seconds to start having the machine spit out bills and They know that Miles has to stay there for a bit longer so they can close this transition Miles wanted discrete, it would have a toll. The smell of burning flesh invades their nostrils again as they wait, Miles in agony with his jaw firmly clenched shut as electricity starts coursing past the nano barrier.

The walrider cuts the process there and lets Miles get pushed back from the machine as the muscles involuntarily contract from the electric shock. Miles tries to catch his breath feeling the bruises from being thrown ten feet,“Holy fuck! That is a son of a-” Miles starts to say as he gingerly clutches his hands to his chest and then feels the numbing sensation, “Hey now what are you doing?” 

_“I need some time before I can repair the damage I caused but grab the bills before someone notices then we can continue and get that piece of sanctuary you were looking at.”_

Miles looks at the bills and tries to move his fingers. They don't respond well to anything moving slowly and clumsily, “Well I can't exactly do much right now.” 

_“Do something before someone spots you.”_ the walrider warns, their voice lagging slightly. They knew Miles was in a bit of pain but it could have been worse looking at the damage that his hands had suffered it could be a lot worse, they concede and try to find some even footing with Miles mobility. He needed to have use of his hands but he couldn't feel the third degree burns or leave a trail of blood everywhere. 

They manage to grab everything that was in the machine giving them almost an extra twelve thousand dollars. Miles stuffs the cash and his hands in his pocket as he leaves the smoking machine behind him muttering that he should have had the car be closer just in case he needed a quick getaway. Things to remember when staying in the criminal life now. 

Miles looks at his hands mentally forcing them to move the walrider had numbed them again and he was thankful for that so he didn't have to feel the peeling skin all bloody and exposed nerves touching anything. He knew this was taking a toll on the walrider but didn't want to ask how much of a toll because if it was he would feel guilty and try to let them have a break. He couldn't though, not while driving with semi slicked hands. He had to focus on that so they wouldn't crash and just make more work in the end. 

The thought passes through his mind, why would he feel guilty for keeping themselves alive. It was just what they were trying to do before hand all they wanted from him so why did it matter? Miles slows down his pace by a half step then, trying to process the thought only being broken from this trance as the walrider speaks up again in his mind. 

_“You don't think we were caught were we?”_ Miles can tell that they were working to keep the body going but it wasn't too hard for the moment. He was glad about that and keeps his own spirits up.

“We are safe for now. We can get the place then tomo- the day after tomorrow we can try to get to my place and get my files.” Miles assures changing the date to give time to rest, “We will need to run a few errands today though. We need a healthy meal and a few other supplies.” 

Miles almost unconsciously runs his hands over the thick stubble that was growing haphazardly on his chin before thinking the better and letting it be. The new landlord was surprised by Miles accepting everything that day and taking the key and didn't comment to how he was doing everything with his left hand with some difficulty. The apartment wasn't much but it had a deadbolt, hot plate, and basic furniture with a tub in the bathroom. It was something. 

Miles finds a few small leftover supplies in a bathroom closet and finds a bandage, he keeps a level head while gingerly wrapping his right hand. Talking with the bandage in his teeth, “This should help keep the ruse of the hand.” 

The walrider doesn't question it but was almost too afraid to ask what he was doing at this point. They noticed when the hand touched the wheel to go drive again there was less contact so it was a bit numbed there. The walrider was fascinated by every place they went to, when they connected to the server they had a small glimpse of the world but they wanted to see more. They were curious too see a world that could hold innocence at times. 

Miles tried to keep his patience in having to explain everything he was picking up but it was starting to wear thin. He was giving the names of food he was planning to make when they reached the grocery store, and was just giving up he did not want to snap but asking the difference between every food was starting to drive him insane, “Please, I will explain everything in due time. Just a moment to get everything without looking like I am going crazy.” 

_“Sorry.”_

They continue to shop in silence and finally once they reach the car the walrider listens to Miles explain, “I got a lot of basic foods and quick meals that can be taken on the go with us. I am not sure how long we are going to be in one place but I would like to think it won't be that long.” 

_“Is this food considered healthy? Is there a difference between organic and the other foods?”_

“Personally I don't think so. I think they say organic to just raise up the prices for food and I can't taste a difference. Never cared to try and find a difference though.” Miles says shrugging. He went to investigate what happened to people not animals and treatment of plants, “Do you think we have time to do last minute shopping at the mall before the milk- what the hell am I talking about we got lots of time it’s September. Milk and frozen stuff won't go bad. Alright prepare for some stares when we go to the mall, we really look like some scruffy hobo at this point.” 

Miles could not refute the point the beard the clothes that didn't exactly fit him. He knew that he should have showered at least before he left but they needed to eat properly before anything else. Being covered in bandages missing a finger visible nay looking like he has lost a bit of the will to live didn’t help his case any. They go to the mall and Miles gets a few concerned glances from employees when he was making purchases but he just solemnly accepted them. 

Heading back to the car he had he had a new laptop, some new clothes, supplies for grooming and hygiene, and the two things he was going to cherish, bubble bath supply and a new camera. 

_“Bubble bath?”_

“Every man has his-” Miles was about to finish his sentence when he saw a group of teenagers surrounding his new car, “Hey! Get the hell away from my car you punks!” 

Miles starts moving towards them and once they spotted him they take a cautious step back. He looks and doesn't see any smoking then he sees that it was a joke seeing the leers on the kids faces, “Shouldn't call things yours if you can't afford them.”

“Oh shit look at him with a new shiny laptop!” One of the kids says stepping in front of the group and pointing a baseball bat at him, “You didn't want anyone to see you stealing so you parked in the few spots that don't have working cameras smart. But this is our spot so we are going to take a few things and let you deal with either car insurance or health insurance. Your choice.” 

Miles didn't want to deal with the kids but he was getting tired of doing nothing as well. He could stand up for himself now, and he planned to, “I am going to ask you the same thing. Though I don't think you have cars. I’ll take whatever you got.” 

The kids stop and look unsure at Miles’ demand. Quickly one of the friends taps the ring leader on the shoulder promoting him for their actions. The ringleader waves away the comment, “I am not backing down to some scruffy hobo. You got that?” 

Miles sighs and starts walking towards the car keeping an even pace locking eyes with the ring leader. The walrider remembers this feeling and helps as it could without bring harm to either of them, _“And I’m not backing down either.”_

“What the-? Just give us the laptop and we’ll leave you alone.” The kid says their threats becoming less and less sure as Miles walks closer and closer, “Fine you know what we will take everything.” 

He bounces his shoulders and the energy for the kids change. They rile themselves up for a quick smackdown to take what they want and to go. 

Miles sees them start to walk towards them and places his items on the ground keeping them safe out of harm's way managing to take two steps forwards just in time to meet the first of the punks. Leaning back easily dodging the right hook of a pinch grabbing their arm with one hand the other easing him up to the air he throws them away with ease. Miles revels of feeling the strength of the walrider flowing through him and quietly thanks the walrider when he still hears a groan from the puck slumped on the ground. 

_“Last chance to back the hell off!”_

The three other kids look between each other until there was the small slap of the bat hitting an open palm, “No you just tried to fuck with one of us so you gotta pay now!”

“Hey-“ 

The leader turns to them and shouts at them, “We have to do this!” 

The ring leader and the one he just shouted at start their approach. Miles runs forwards and uses both arms to block the half swing of the bat before head butting the ringleader. He reaches and grab the bat out of the weakened grip swinging out behind him the bat cracking painfully against the other punks ribs. 

They go down coughing and try to get back to their feet. Miles pushes the ringleader keeping them off balance herding them to the garage support beam. He smiles, “I did give you a chance.” 

They spit of bit of blood that had dribbled from their broken nose at Miles, “Fuck you man.” 

Miles grabs the front of their shirt hoisting them up into the air, _“Not really the right thing to do.”_

He wipes off his face with his other hand looking away as his hand drags down his face. He then sees the third punk grabbing everything that he could. 

“Mother fucker!” 

The walrider extends it's arm as an extension of Miles’ dragging them back. They thought they were safe but as they turn around and kick at the arm seeing the nano swarm they panic, “Fucking hell let me go!” 

Then do they realize how badly they have all messed up but when Miles has row of them in his grasp he slowly eyes the ringleader again, “I am sorry about leading you on so that you thought you could fight so one last chance. _Run.”_

Miles drops them and the ringleader bolts the one who went for his stuff looks at Miles while making his way to his downed friends, “Please don’t kill me for helping them.” 

Miles doesn’t even give him a glance while he goes to his supplies on the ground and checking over the laptop and everything else. He gives a sigh of relief when he sees that they were unharmed and moves them to the back of the car. Just as he hears them helping their unconscious friend shouldering them Miles says one last thing to them. 

_“If you tell anyone about this. I will kill you.”_

He slams the car door shut and turns it on driving away. He makes his way back to security, he just wanted to be in an easy spot for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading if you like this please leave a comment for me to write more and I hope you have a nice day!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading leave a comment if you would be so kind and I hope you have a nice day!


End file.
